Case Closed
by tsunami1156
Summary: AU Kaoru, new detective, finds herself dating the one man she's supposed to be sending to prison. He leaves her, throwing her chaotic life into a dark world of corruption as she tries desperately to save his life. But some don't really want saving. BK
1. Alone Again

**A/N: ** I am currently writing another RK story, Amnesia, but I am suffering writer's block. I have been working on its next chapter and will be continuing the story, but sometimes it's nice to have a little break. Recently, I began this story, and I have already written more than eight chapters (which I will be editing). The first chapter is the shortest so please don't worry about its lack of words. In later chapters, there will be lots of flashbacks to help you understand what is going on in the story, so pay attention to italics. They will be labeled for you, so there shouldn't be any confusion. Please review! It keeps me motivated and makes me happy to know people are hopefully enjoying the story.

SUMMARY: Modern AU. Kamiya Kaoru's desperation for employment after recently graduating college lands her in the Tokyo Police Department, working for an insufferable boss that makes constant jokes at her expense. After months of doing menial tasks, she gets her first case, working with a partner whose top priority is gambling and bar fights rather than doing actual work. The case drags Kaoru into a darker world where nothing is as it seems, including government secrets, conspiracies, and revolutions. When love enters her life, Kaoru is forced to face reality. But what happens when love leaves her for the second time in a row and how far will she go to get it back? KxK

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**Chapter 1: Alone Again**

The rain was pelting against her face and body, drenching her clothes from head to toe. It had been storming all day, but its severity had definitely pick up recently. The soft rumble turned into ground-shaking roars, and subtle heat lightning became obnoxious bolts across the dark sky. The steady pattern of rain over the past few days was finally breaking weeks of drought, but inches of water had now accumulated in giant puddles on the sides of the streets. The thirsting soil of local gardens had long been satiated, and flowers were being drowned from all of the extra water. Yet it still came down now harder than ever. The rain was falling in droplets the size of golf balls, and the noise of the rain hitting the pavement in combination with the cracks of thunder created a loud song that only Mother Nature could direct.

The world seemed dead save for the noises of the storm. No one is their right mind was outside, not even driving in this kind of weather. Yet the flashes of lightning that sporadically cracked across the night sky briefly illuminated a lone figure that stood amidst the storm, seemingly unaffected by the world around her. She stood by the edge of the street, ignoring the rain pouring down on her, the cold win that felt like needs against her wet skin, and the electricity that threatened to strike her down. Despite all the obvious warning signs that a person should run for cover, the young woman remained still. If corpses had the ability to stand, then a passerby would have thought she was dead, judging by the complete stillness of her form. However, Kamiya Kaoru was not dead—far from it. True, she was either extremely stubborn or extremely stupid for standing out in such a storm, but dead she was not. At least not physically. Subtle clues proved this fact. Her body shook slightly from being drenched and plagued by the cold wind, and her beautiful sapphire eyes reflected a look of absolute despair.

Her pale skin glistened in the rain under the fluorescent streetlights, giving her an ethereal glow. Long raven hair splayed out across her wet back, some of the silky strands stuck to her pale face. Her soaked navy dress clung to her small frame, and her bare feet were being washed with the mini creek that was flowing down the sidewalk from all the rain. She stood there unblinking, staring down the street into the darkness. There was nothing there but a black abyss. Yet her eyes never wavered and remained focused on the area that only she could have found interesting.

"Why?" she finally whispered to herself. She spoke aloud, but her voice was lost to the storm, not even reaching her own ears. Her throat was dry, and her eyes were bloodshot from the emotional distress that had befallen her a few days ago. Her mind was focused on only one thing…or rather, only one person. _Kenshin_.

Kaoru's thoughts swirled around the red-haired man she had met only about a year ago. It was strange how quickly she had fallen in love with him, and he had fallen in love with her just as fast. But here she was once more, crying and feeling her heart break into a million pieces after he left her _yet again_. It didn't matter that he told her he loved her. It didn't matter that she meant the world to him. She was furious that he left her, claiming to be unworthy of her innocence. His absence caused her such grief that she found it difficult to rise out of bed. A mixture of emotions were swirling in her head—anger, despair, hurt, pain. Regret, however, was not one of them. She would never regret the day she met Himura Kenshin, and she would trade the pain she felt now for the bliss to forget. She would cherish her memories with the redhead forever, even if it was short-lived.

The blank expression on her face turned into a frown as her thoughts moved on. What would her parents think of her now? After her mother died when she was very young, her father raised her, teaching her the Kamiya Kasshin style of swordsmanship. He wanted to make sure that she grew up as a bright, independent young woman. And she certainly had. She was a stubborn, determined, and very self-sufficient. She never wanted to depend on anyone. Her father had never wanted her to left alone, but even he could not control death.

But _would_ her parents truly think of her? She had succeeding in not becoming one of those whiny, little girls who spends her life trying to find a man to take care of her and cater to her every need. She didn't want that kind of relationship with a man. Yet here she was, tears mixing with the rain, throat rough from all of sobs, and body frozen from yearning for him to return. She was doing exactly what she had spent her entire life criticizing. A part of her told her that her situation was very different from those whiny girls, but did it really matter? The fact was that she had fallen for someone that she knew would never be able to stay with her forever. She ignored the obvious wrongness of their relationship and the little voice inside her head that told her to stop before she fell. But she did fall…and _hard_. She fell in love with him the moment she laid eyes on him. Her breath stopped upon hearing his gentle voice, and looking into his soft violet eyes made her heart melt. Even when his voice became cold and distant, his body stiff yet fluid in its motions, and his eyes a piercing golden stare, her whole body still felt on fire. She loved him. She loved _all_ of him. And it wasn't a question of whether he deserved her. But until he was ready to accept that, she would wait until he came back to her.

And that was why she stood in the treacherous rain, uncaring that she would probably get sick from such exposure. She didn't feel the water spraying her body or the wind that chilled her to the bone. None of it mattered.

She was pulled back to reality when she realized that the rain was no longer hitting her face. It was a strange feeling, considering it was still pounding the pavement before her. She turned around slowly, her muscles stiff from remaining motionless for such a long time. Turning to the right, she was shocked to see a familiar face in such close proximity. The shock was not evident on her face, which remained expressionless even if she willed it to change. Her entire body was numb, and gentle hand that rested on her shoulder went unnoticed. Staring at the woman before her, Kaoru noticed her mouth was moving, but she could barely make them out above the noise of the storm.

Megumi looked at Kaoru with a worried expression, "Did you hear me?" It came out as a shout, as Megumi raised her voice further in an effort to be heard above the thunder and the rain. Megumi's words finally registered and Kaoru shook her head numbly. Sighing, Megumi began to guide Kaoru away from the spot where she had been standing for hours. She held one hand around her friend's shoulders, while the other carried the umbrella above their heads. Megumi continued, uncaring if Kaoru could hear her or not, "We've been searching for you for hours. Standing out in the rain like an idiot, honestly! You'll get yourself killed in this weather."

Kaoru faintly heard Megumi ranting to herself but chose to ignore it for now. She could fake not hearing it while she was outside, but as soon as they reached the haven of her quiet apartment, she knew the lectures could not be ignored.

It didn't take long for them to reach the apartment building that Kaoru shared with her two friends, Megumi and Misao. They each lived in separate one-bedroom apartments. They used to all be roommates in college, but after living in such close quarters for so many years, they decided it would be best to give each other some space. Megumi was in med school, and she needed a space to study that would not give her too many distractions. She was brilliant and much more serious than both Kaoru and Misao combined. However, she was also very cunning and enjoyed flirting with most of the male population…or at least those who met her particular criteria. Kenshin had been one of them.

Megumi also had a habit of being brutally honest. She had no qualms about telling Kaoru when she was being completely stupid. Kaoru liked to think that it wasn't very often, but she knew her stubbornness sometimes got in the way of thinking clearly. And today was probably going to be one of those instances. Regrettably, she probably deserved whatever lecture Megumi was about to dish out. After she was thrown into a scalding shower and given hot tea in an effort to warm up her shivering body.

This was exactly what happened, as Kaoru was thrust into the shower with force. Megumi laid out some towels and her to take a long, warm shower until her limbs were no longer purple. Then she left the bathroom, mumbling about making some tea. Predictable, Kaoru thought amusedly. She knew her friends well. As she stripped off her soaking clothes and stepped into the shower, she hissed as the hot water came in contact with her chilled skin. It was such a drastic change from being pelted with ice-cold water droplets for the past few hours. Normally a hot shower would be really relaxing, but right now it just gave Kaoru a stinging feeling all over her body. And it wasn't going to numb her from the pain; in reality, nothing really could.


	2. Friendly Lectures

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

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**A/N: **I decided that I will post my replies to reviews at the beginning of all of my chapters. I've never done this before, but I've seen a lot of authors do this. Hopefully it will help encourage any readers to review my story, which would be much appreciated. As I have already written several chapters to the story, I will be editing and posting them at what I consider to be appropriate time intervals. And in case you were wondering, the number of reviews has a huge weight on just how long that will be…so the more reviews, the faster I will post the next chapter!

**Reviewers:**

Kokoronagomu: I listened to the song, and I thought it was so sad. Sometimes I wish you could add music to stories for when people read them because that would have been perfect for the first chapter!

Skenshingumi: I'm glad you like Kaoru being a detective. I struggled trying to come up with a simple, suitable summary. Honestly, I think summaries are the hardest part of the story to write sometimes, especially with the character limit, which is probably why I included an extended version in the chapter…"extended" is probably an understatement…

MissTeak: Thanks! Chapter one was definitely the shortest chapter that I have so far, and the plot will pick up drastically in the next few chapters. I hope you continue reading the story and keep reviewing!

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**Chapter 2: Friendly Lectures**

Slowly Kaoru began to relax as the shower sprayed water across her back. The steam filled the bathroom quickly, and Kaoru's body began to lose the goose-bumps. She closed her eyes and breathed in the warm, moist air. She hoped that Megumi would call Misao over by the time she was out of the shower. Misao was always so cheerful, and she would help lighten the tension that Megumi's lecture was bound to cause. Misao was the random roommate that Kaoru had been assigned in college, and it had been a very lucky room assignment. Kaoru had heard horror stories of roommates who brought guys back to the room every night, threw food all over the place, or on occasion, set the dorm on fire. But Misao turned out to be neither the slut, slob, nor arson. She was an energetic bundle of fun who cared deeply for her friends. The two were the only roommates on their floor that got along so well. They met Megumi, who was two years ahead of them, in the library one day.

At the time, Megumi had been cramming for the MCAT, and she was clearly stressed out. Her hair was askew, and three empty cups of coffee were resting by her books. She was searching through a vast array of books laid out in front of her. From a distance, she looked very calm and collected, sipping a steaming cappuccino and scribbling notes from her neat stack of textbooks. But Misao and Kaoru, who quickly grew tired of studying and occupied their time by people watching, could tell that she needed a break. As Misao headed to the library café for another cup of tea, she tripped over someone's laptop cable and flew forward next to Megumi. Megumi rolled her eyes, muttering about how girls were becoming so ungraceful, but she helped Misao up all the same and then proceeded to chew out the "idiot that left his cord dangling out in the middle of the aisle for all to trip." She also told him that no matter how much he studies, "logic cannot unfortunately be learned from a book and he might as well give up before he loses all dignity". The young man was horrified and quickly gathered up his things before fleeing from the library. A strange friendship grew from there, and Misao and Kaoru quickly learned a few things about Megumi. First, "idiot" was a word she used quite frequently. Second, mockery from her should be considered a sign that she cares, unless, of course, you truly do something stupid. And third, she always backs her friends even if she gives her honest opinion afterwards.

She and Misao were almost complete opposites in many regards. While Megumi was generally serious, Misao never took anything seriously. She was always full of energy and could be quite obnoxious at times. She found positives in everything, and she refused to ever let Kaoru stay home to sulk. Her quick temper and failure to fully analyze a situation made her quite endearing. She would often get in near fights with anyone who called her a weasel. Kaoru always wondered how someone with such a loud mouth and propensity to getting herself into trouble could manage to succeed in following "the family business." And honestly, how could the weasel-girl fall head over heels for the stoic, always-wears-one-expression ninja? These two questions were ones that Kaoru figured would never be answered.

Kaoru was finally pulled out of her reverie when she heard a familiar screech coming from outside the door, signaling Misao's arrival. Kaoru turned the water off, thankful that her muscles were beginning to work again. Stepping out of the shower, she wrapped a towel around her soaking hair and another around her body. The cool breeze from the apartment immediately touched her skin as she stepped out of the steam-filled bathroom. She felt as though she had been in the shower forever, but a quick glance at the clock told her it had only been about twenty minutes. She headed straight to her bedroom to rummage through her drawers and find a loose pair of baggy sweatpants and an old sweatshirt. She ran her fingers through her silken hair and left it down to air dry. Slipping into a pair of fuzzy slippers, she stepped back into the hallway, knowing Misao and Megumi would be waiting for her. Before she could even focus on her surroundings, a hot cup of tea was shoved into her hands. Megumi was rushing her over to the sofa where Misao was already seated, drinking tea and chewing on a cookie.

"Kaoru!" Misao exclaimed, jumping up and rushing to her friend, both cookie and tea quickly forgotten. "I was so worried! What were you _thinking_?"

Kaoru was so stunned by the uncharacteristic serious expression on Misao's face that she was rendered speechless. Fortunately, Megumi stepped in.

"Sit down, Misao," Megumi commanded. "Isn't it obvious Kaoru needs to rest?" Kaoru sighed, grateful for Megumi's support. She sat down on the couch, closed her eyes, and welcomed the relief as her body sank into the cushions. A small smile appeared on her face as she felt the first physical comfort she had experienced in days. However, Kaoru soon felt the prickly feeling of being watched through closed eyelids. She slowly opened her eyes to come face to face with an angry Megumi. Clearly her relaxation was going to be short-lived.

"Now that you're sitting down to rest…what _were_ you thinking?" Megumi's hands were on her hips, and she was glaring at Kaoru.

"I…I don't know," she began, unsure of her words. For as long as she stood in the shower contemplating, she had neglected thinking of the absurd reasoning behind her hasty actions.

"Kaoru, that was perhaps one of the _dumbest_ things you have ever done! And that's saying a lot! How could you do something so incredibly irrational? Standing out in such weather for hours? There weren't even people outside in _cars_!" Kaoru stared at the tea in her lap as she took Megumi's rant in silence. She wasn't really sure what to say. Megumi paused for a moment to collect herself and then continued, "I can't even begin to think about what could've happened if I didn't find you. You could have gotten terribly sick. What if you _died_?" The last word was choked out, and Kaoru looked up abruptly in the silence that followed. Megumi's eyes were glossy, and Kaoru could tell she was struggling not to cry. Crying had never been something that Megumi approved of.

Kaoru bit her bottom lip and stole a glance at Misao, who was sitting stiffly on the other couch and staring at the ground. It was unusual to see Misao so rigid and upset, and Kaoru's mind fought desperately to come up with words to comfort her friends who had clearly been deathly worried about her. "I'm sorry." It was the only thing her mind could come up with, and when uttered aloud, the two words sounded rather pathetic. After all Megumi had said, _I'm sorry_ was hardly a worthy response.

Megumi choked back another strangled sob and turned on her heel, heading into the kitchen. Misao finally looked up at Kaoru's bowed head. "Kaoru, _why_ do you care so much? You've always scoffed at other girls who grow so attached to a man. So why are _you_ so in love with _him_ of all people?"

Kaoru spoke quietly, not raising her head. "I thought you liked him, Misao."

The response was clearly not what Misao expected as her eyes widened in shock. She immediately began sputtering, "I-I do! He's a great man, very noble, so kind, extremely strong, and whatnot. But he's like the one man you can't have. There's so many other guys who would willingly throw themselves at your feet and worship the ground you walk on…not that he didn't…but you get my point. He just isn't ready for a relationship like this, and he may _never_ be ready for one. It's sad, but it's the truth."

Kaoru sighed, "With a past like his, can you really blame him?"

"No, I can't. But you can't change the past, Kaoru." Misao stood with her arms crossed over her chest. She wanted Kaoru to understand that she really needed to move on this time. The red-haired blockhead didn't leave because he didn't love her, and that was obvious. But he had plenty of issues that just didn't allow him to love in the way Kaoru, or anyone, needed. While many guys pull the "it's not you, it's me," stunt, this was a case where it was really true. Kenshin didn't leave because anything was wrong with Kaoru; he left because there was so much wrong with _him_.

Kaoru remained silent. She knew it, and the thought had been plaguing her for months. But she had always hopelessly thought that maybe he would be able to overcome it. Unfortunately, his past always seemed to catch up with him, lurking in the shadows of every corner. And it wasn't really over anyway. Both she and Misao described it as the "past," but in reality, it wasn't over. Nothing was going to stop anytime soon, and as much as Kaoru hated it, it was the truth.

Finally, Kaoru spoke again with more energy behind her voice. "I know that I can't change the past, Misao. I've always known that." She cleared her throat in an attempt to put her thoughts into words, but the slight waver in her voice made it obvious that her words were painful to say. "But I've always hoped that _he_ would be able to understand that. No matter what I said, he was just never quite able believe that I accepted him for who he was and who he is. I hoped I could change him bu—."

"And that's your mistake."

Kaoru whirled around after being interrupted mid-sentence by the familiar harsh voice of Megumi. The med student was leaning against the kitchen door with her arms crossed. Evidently, she had managed to get a hold of herself after nearly breaking down earlier. Her eyes were slightly red from what Kaoru thought suspiciously had been crying, but Megumi strutted back into the room, ignoring the stunned looks on Misao and Kaoru's faces. "You're trying to change him into something he isn't. He's not the prince charming you dreamt about in fairytales. No woman should ever be with a man like that."

"Why are _you_ criticizing him now, Megumi?" Kaoru asked angrily, rising to her feet. "You're always flirting so much with him that _you'd_ probably date him if you had the chance!"

Misao gasped at Kaoru's accusation and was torn between looking at Kaoru's furious face and Megumi's scornful look. But Kaoru was so angry that Megumi's facial expression didn't faze her. The med student was always throwing herself on the stunning redhead even though it annoyed Kaoru to no end.

"It's true that I find him quite attractive, Tanuki. He has a gorgeous body and such exotic looks that he drives any woman crazy. But he's _not_ and never _will be_ the good boy that a girl takes home to her parents for dinner. You're supposed to flirt with the bad boys, but it's the good ones you take home."

"Good thing I don't have any parents then," Kaoru muttered heatedly.

The two glared at each other for a long moment before Megumi sighed, "You're missing the point."

"Then what _is_ the point exactly? Enlighten me," Kaoru replied sarcastically.

Megumi rolled her eyes. "If you care about him that much then I'm not going to stop you from chasing after him. God knows if you still love him after all this then maybe I underestimated your crazy relationship. But you need to be _logical_. Ken-san would murder me if I let you kill yourself out there in the storm, and he'd never forgive himself if you died."

Kaoru winced slightly at the word 'murder,' but upon hearing the rest of the sentence, her anger softened. She hadn't thought about everything from that angle before. All she had been thinking was how miserable she was and how she desperately hoped to catch a flash of red through the darkness. She had completely disregarded her own health and the consequences of her hasty actions. And as much as she hated to admit it, Megumi was right. "You're right, Megumi," she said finally. "I wasn't thinking."

"Good. Now that you understand you were being a complete idiot, we can move on to other matters."

"O-other…matters?" Kaoru asked cautiously, unsure of where Megumi would be going with this.  
Megumi, however, ignored her question and continued, "I believe that it would be wise of you to contact your boss and let him know that you will be returning to work on Monday. After missing several days, you wouldn't want him to think you quit."

Kaoru groaned, "Do I have to? Saito is such a dog, and he'll probably make fun of me endlessly. He may not even let me come back anyway." She didn't feel like starting work and acting like everything was fine so soon. Work was how she met _him_ in the first place after all.

"Aw, come on, Kaoru," Misao encouraged, happily piping back into the conversation. "I know he's such a jerk, but you don't want to lose your job now too. Besides, it'll give you something to occupy your time. And Saito isn't _heartless_. Even if he does take pleasure in tormenting you, he obviously values you as a detective."

"I bet he'll put me on another case involving Kenshin. He seems to _love_ doing that."

"Well, that's where the him-being-a-jerk part comes in."

"There's something that I don't get, though," Kaoru said thoughtfully.

Misao and Megumi eyed her curiously. "What's that?" Misao asked.

"About Saito. I mean, he _knows_ Sano sometimes works with Kenshin, but Sano is employed by the department too. So why doesn't he ever just arrest Sano?"

"Maybe he thinks Sano is too valuable a member of the team?" Misao suggested, though it sounded half-hearted.

A snort from across the room reminded the two girls that Megumi was there. "The only thing that rooster-head is good for is bringing me patients. And half of them don't even pay me, the scoundrels."

Kaoru laughed. While Megumi always scoffed whenever anyone mentioned Sano, both she and Misao knew the doctor had a soft spot for him. Megumi was just too proud to admit it.

Kaoru turned to Misao, "You can't really say he's that valuable though when the only cases he works on involve Kenshin. And obviously he's not going to turn him in, so really he isn't bringing in _anyone_…ever. So much for being a detective."

"Good point," Misao commented. "But why are you wondering anyway? No one else in the department knows about Sano and Kenshin working together, right?"

"Right," Kaoru said slowly. "But Sano and Saito don't get along very well."

"No one gets along with Saito."

"That's true, but I mean they really, _really_ hate each other. It's extreme."

Misao shrugged, "Maybe mockery and abuse are just Saito's way of showing affection."

"Doubt it," Kaoru muttered. "But half the time, when Saito gives me Kenshin's cases, I really don't think he _wants_ me to catch him."

"Sure he does," Misao argued.=

"Then why would he give them to me?" Kaoru asked anxiously. "I'm not nearly as good as some of the other people in the department, and I'm not really a detective anyway since I only recently graduated. If he wanted Kenshin caught, then he would either take care of it himself or have someone else take the case."

"I think he's just lazy."

Megumi shook her head, "I agree with Kaoru on this one."

"Surely you don't think _Saito's_ working with Kenshin, _too_," Misao said incredulously.

"It's possible. I don't think it's out of sheer respect for the redhead's amazing abilities that Saito is slowing any further developments in the case," Megumi said. "And he and the rooster _do_ have a rather odd relationship."

Kaoru was grateful for the support and gave Megumi a thankful smile, which was not returned. "It's rather strange," Megumi continued. "And you should be careful, Kaoru. There's something going on that we don't know about, and it could be trouble."

Kaoru nodded, noticing the worried tone in Megumi's normally strong voice. "I know, and I will be very careful from now on. Anyway…maybe I should give Saito a call." She pulled out her cell and dialed the familiar number. The conversation didn't last long, and Kaoru got the feeling that Saito knew exactly what had been going on anyway. It was a bit unnerving. Misao and Megumi watched Kaoru's face grow increasingly agitated as the short conversation continued until she finally hung up with a huff.

"What did he say?" Misao asked nervously. 

"He said yes, of course," Kaoru replied, sitting down on the couch heatedly.

"And that's a problem?" Megumi asked slowly. She and Misao looked at each other concerned before turning back to their angry friend.

"He's just such a jerk!" Kaoru shrieked finally. "I can't believe I have to go back to work on Monday and deal with his absurd personality all day. Honestly."

"Um, Kaoru," Misao started. "You realize that it's a good thing to have your job back, right?"

"It's not like I ever actually lost it, Misao."

"Well, yeah, I know. But generally when people don't show up to work for a week, that's a bad thing," she pointed out.

"What did he say exactly?" Megumi asked.

Kaoru rolled her eyes. "Well, it wasn't so much what he said but what he insinuated. I mean, he didn't even insult me!"

"Oh…yeah…god, I hate it when people don't mock me," Misao said, sarcasm clearly dripping on every word.

Kaoru threw her hands up in the air. "But you don't understand. He almost felt…_sorry_ for me. It was like he knew why I hadn't been at work, but he didn't say anything about it. He acted like nothing happened!"

"As much as I'd like to sympathize with you, don't you think that jerk being nice for a change is, well, a plus?"

Kaoru shook her head, "No, it's just plain weird. And I don't want him to feel sorry for me. I don't want _anyone_ to feel sorry for me. And I really don't like the idea of him knowing so much about my personal life."

"Well, he didn't actually _say_ anything about it, did he?"

"No, but I get the feeling he knows."

"Uh-huh."

Megumi listened carefully to their conversation before saying, "You know, I'm usually not one for conspiracies, but this situation is getting stranger by the minute."

Kaoru turned to face her friend. It was unusual for Megumi to suspect anything out of the ordinary. "What do you mean?"

"If Saito knows about your relationship with Kenshin when you never told him, then he _must_ know Kenshin."

"Come on, Megumi, that's crazy! He's been trying to catch the guy for years," Misao countered.

"Supposedly," Megumi shrugged.

Kaoru sighed, "Well, I think I'm going to go to bed before I start getting a headache from all of this. I need to mentally prepare myself for work on Monday, especially since I only have tomorrow before dealing with the jerk."

Megumi nodded, "Okay, but call if you need anything. And get plenty of rest."

"I will, don't worry. I'm not going to be such an idiot again."

Misao and Megumi both stood up and headed for the door, saying good-bye. Kaoru sighed once they had left and sat back on the couch to curl up. Her tea was still hot, and she sipped it gratefully. Megumi had given her a lot to think about, and now her mind was reeling about one thing. What was the connection between Kenshin and Saito?

Kaoru desperately wanted to just ask the man how he knew Kenshin. She wanted to know what exactly was going on, and she didn't enjoy feeling like a pawn in some complicated game. Or maybe she could ask Sano since she already knew that he was a close friend with Kenshin. But, of course, she had never really spoken with the gangster outside of work and business so she was a little wary of doing that. Picking up the remote, she flipped on the television and began watching the food network. It was really just for some noise, as the silence in the apartment was deafening. She stared at the screen.

_Should I contact Sano?_ She asked herself again. Maybe he would give her answers. Strengthening her resolve, she decided to call him the next morning. What was the worst that could happen anyway?


	3. Frustrating Conversations

**A/N: **I am glad to get more reviews already. I love hearing what everyone has to say about the story, and I hope I am succeeding in keeping you on the edge of your seats. The beginning of the story is a little slow but full of drama. I promise that it will be picking up soon, and there will be A LOT of flashbacks coming up so that you know what happened over the past year or so. Keep reading and please continue to review because the more reviews I get, then the faster I will post updates!

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**Reveiws:**

Talkstoangels77: I just got your message, and I am trying to get this to work. Ironically enough, the third chapter doesn't appear for me when I check the the first page for fanfics, so hopefully reuploading the chapter will work. As for the PM, I am still kind of new to all this and had no idea was that was (still don't haha), but I'm going to look into it. Hopefully this chapter comes up finally, but please let me know if there are any other problems! Thanks so much!

Talkstoangels77: And it's only just beginning…unfortunately for you, it will be thickening slowly. But I have to keep up the mystery a little, don't I?!

Silverwingedwitch: Don't worry, Kenshin's character will be appearing soon. And the dynamic between Saito and Kenshin will be quite comical; they always have a very strange relationship.

MissTeak: Sano and Megumi are always an entertaining couple, and there will definitely be some great scenes with those two in later chapters. I thought about the "it's not you, it's me" line when I was watching Seinfeld the other day. Even though I have never personally been on the receiving end, it is definitely a rather pathetic excuse. But I kind of think that Kenshin may have a right to say it given his obscure circumstances. It wouldn't make Kaoru feel any better though…

skeshingumi: Yep, I have a lot of chapters written, so I am just editing them now. But I will be posting them at a slow pace to be sure people have time to read them before posting the next chapter. The first several chapters will probably seem agonizingly slow, but I felt the need to lay all the groundwork so you can connect to the characters before launching into more of the present drama that will be occurring. Don't worry, there will be action, but you'll have to be patient! And you'll find out about Kenshin very soon.

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**Chapter 3: Frustrating Conversations**

Sunday. One of the worst days of the week. It wasn't so much that Sunday _itself_ was bad; in fact, Sundays are rather relaxing. The problem with the day is what it implies. With Sunday comes the end of the weekend and the beginning of another hellish workweek.

Kaoru groaned as she rolled over in her bed. It was a beautiful day outside, and she couldn't help but admire the blue sky and sunshine peeking through the gap between the curtains and the window. She felt infinitely times better today than the day before, and she had finally warmed up after the long hours of being in the rain.

She slowly made her way out of the bed and pushed her raven locks out of her eyes. Stepping gingerly towards the window, she pulled apart the curtains and glanced outside. The sun was shining brightly, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. The weather made it seem as though there had not just been a storm. However, the evidence in the street was clear enough. There were plenty of tree branches littering the sidewalk and street, having snapped off from their hosts due to the ferocious winds. Various puddles still remained in the streets but were drying fast by the heat of the sun. People were milling about, and cars were once again speeding down the street. Life had certainly picked up again.

Kaoru turned away from the window and looked over at the clock sitting on her nightstand. It was already ten in the morning. She was amazed that she had slept so late even though the events of the day before had exhausted her. She desperately needed coffee, as a headache was beginning to set in already with the caffeine deprivation. She exited her bedroom and headed for the kitchen to start making a pot of coffee. But when she opened the desired cabinet, her stomach dropped when she realized she had no coffee. Realization hit her. She was supposed to go to the grocery store yesterday. Obviously that hadn't happened.

She shook her head. It wasn't really a big deal, as she could just go today. But coffee was a necessity, so she decided she would just go to a local café for coffee and a muffin before starting the rest of her day.

Kaoru returned to her room to brush her hair, change into jeans and a light sweater, and add a little makeup. She felt much more refreshed now.

The closest café was a cute place on the corner with outdoor tables. After grabbing her coffee and a blueberry muffin, Kaoru sat under an umbrella and started reading a newspaper she had picked up on her way. There weren't very many interesting articles. As her eyes scrolled the headlines, she felt her breath catch on one in particular. "MATSUYA TAKASUGI ASSASSINATED IN HOME." The writing under the headline stated that Matsuya, who was the head of the Tokyo Arms Department, had been allegedly involved in various fraudulent deals as well as embezzlement. The man was beheaded, and authorities suspected it was the work of the infamous Battousai. Kaoru's eyes remained wide as she stared at the words. _Battousai_. Of course, she knew they were probably right. It had happened so many times before. And while the old man was probably a dog, did he deserve to be killed for it?

"Oi, you like you've seen a ghost."

Kaoru looked up quickly upon hearing the voice. Before her stood a tall man with spiky brown hair and a red bandana tied around his head. His hands were stuffed in his pants pockets, and he was leaning on the wall of the café. The man was eyeing her with a light smile on his face. Kaoru stared at him, torn between the shock of seeing him there and the gratitude that she wouldn't have to make the call she had been dreading.

"Good morning, Sagara-san," she said finally.

"Nah, it's still Sano to you," he said, waving her off. Then he looked at her carefully and asked, "Are you okay there, Jou-chan? You seem a little tense."

"Huh? Oh I'm fine, thanks." She responded, relaxing after hearing the familiar nickname. She hadn't spoken or seen Sano all week, and for some reason, the sight of him outside of anything work-related made her nervous.

Without invitation, he pulled out the other chair at her table and plopped himself down. He leaned back, putting his hands behind his head and propping his legs up on another chair. "Are you comfortable?" Kaoru asked, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, I am. Thanks for asking," he replied, winking. He completely ignored the looks he received for using two chairs in the already crowded seating area.

Kaoru watched as he closed his eyes and basked in the warm sun. She couldn't believe the nerve of him, talking to her like that and now just making himself at home at her table. "Excuse me," she said irritably. "Are you just going to sit there all day? Don't you have work to do?"

"I'm comfortable."

She sighed, "What exactly are you doing here, Sano?"

"Working."

Kaoru rolled her eyes. "Right. You're sure working hard."

"I was asked to keep an eye on you, and that's exactly what I'm doing."

"Actually, you had both eyes closed and were sleeping," Kaoru pointed out. It took a moment before the weight of his statement sunk in. "Wait," she said suddenly. "Asked to keep an eye on me? What's that supposed to mean? By who?" She felt the volume of her voice rising with each question as she glared suspiciously at the man outstretched before her.

"Relax, Jou-chan," Sano replied, finally opening his eyes and winking at her. "I have orders to make sure you're safe, and that's really all ya need to know."

"I don't think so, Sagara Sanoske. I want answers."

"Maybe if you asked me a decent question and didn't just yell ridiculous things I'd answer you," he shrugged.

Huffing, Kaoru folded her arms across her chest and tried to calm herself. "Okay, if that's how you want to play. Who asked you to keep an eye on me?"

"I thought that would be obvious."

Kaoru's eyes widened at his implication. "K-Kenshin?"

"Bingo."

"Why would he do that?" she breathed.

"Aw, Jou-chan. You and I both know he cares about you."

Kaoru felt tears slowly forming in her eyes, and she stubbornly blinked them back. "I don't understand," she whispered. "Why send someone to make sure I'm okay? Why can't he just do that himself?"

Sano sighed, "You know, I've known the guy for a long time. He's got a lot of problems, more than all the people in the world combined probably. He's a puzzle, and I don't try to understand what goes on in his crazy mind anymore. But one thing I know for sure is that he loves you. You just have to be patient."

"Patient? What use is his loving me when he isn't even around?" she asked angrily.

"I don't know. Don't ask me to give you advice on that because I have no idea what he's thinking. Honestly, I think he's being a bit of an idiot, but he's doing what he thinks is best for you."

"Best for me?" Kaoru repeated bitterly. "He thinks I'm better off like this? What an idiot."

Sano laughed, "I hear ya! Anyway, let's change the subject. Talking about Kenshin's motives and logic just makes my head hurt from the irrationality of it all."

Kaoru couldn't help but smile. She was beginning to like Sano. After working with him in department, she never knew how good of a friend he could be. "Can I ask you an honest question, Sano?"

"Sure, but I can't promise I'll answer."

"Okay, here goes." Kaoru took a deep breath before looking him in the eyes. His legs were no longer propped up, and an old lady was dragging the chair away from him with a scornful look on her face. But Sano was leaning forward on his chair, focused only on her and her question. Biting her lip, she finally asked, "Do Saito and Kenshin know each other?"

Sano closed his eyes, and Kaoru was afraid he was choosing not to answer. But then, he opened his mouth. "Yes."

Kaoru was shocked, both that the answer was affirmative and that it was an honest one. "H-how?" she stuttered.

Sano sighed and looked at her with a serious expression uncommon to his normally grinning face. "It's a long story, and I'm really not the one who should be explaining it to you."

"Can you give me the answer in a nutshell then?" she asked hopefully. After getting such an answer, Kaoru didn't think she could stand not knowing more. After all, she had suspected they were familiar with each other, but it was in what context that had her flummoxed.

"I don't know," he started.

"Are they friends or something?"

Sano immediately burst into laughter and doubled over. Kaoru blinked at him in surprise. She hadn't thought the question was that amusing, but here was the gangster before her clutching his stomach and laughing hysterically. Some of the people around them began eyeing them curiously, and Kaoru felt her cheeks grow red in embarrassment.

As he continued to laugh, Kaoru asked, "Um…Sano? What's so funny exactly?" She was utterly confused by his reaction.

Sano gradually started to gain control of his composure and shook his head. "The thought of those two as _friends_!"

Kaoru glared at him, "It's not that funny. I'm just trying to figure out how the two know each other. Are they enemies then?"

"Do you think so?" Sano asked.

Kaoru felt like she was on the hotseat and grew nervous. Honestly, she didn't think they were enemies, but would she be stupid to think so when Saito was supposedly running an investigation to land Kenshin in jail? However, the look Sano was giving her firmed her resolve and she answered, "No, I don't."

He smiled. "I knew you were a smart girl. That's probably why Kenshin likes you so much."

Kaoru blushed at the compliment. "So what are they then? I mean, you know him too, right? I mean, outside of the department?"

"Nothing gets past you, Jou-chan. Just put two and two together now."

Kaoru's brows furrowed together and she stared down into the coffee mug, thinking. Sano knew Kenshin because they worked together, and he was seemingly investigating the redhead. Saito issued the orders, knowing full well that Sano would never intentionally catch Kenshin. Sano and Saito knew each other outside of work as well, and Saito knew Kenshin. The three _all_ knew each other, and none of them were enemies…so…so…

"Sano," she started slowly. "Do Saito and Kenshin work together?"

"My, my, what have we here?" Kaoru felt her blood run cold.

Kaoru had only a moment to take in Sano's triumphant expression before she heard the voice. She whirled around and found herself face to face with her boss.

"I see you've been talking with Kamiya, Sagara," Saito sneered. "I can't imagine it was that important."

* * *

--Flashback—

"_I'm never going to find a job!" Kaoru said loudly in frustration as her computer froze yet again. She was working on her resume in the on-campus café and had been for several hours. The document looked decent enough, but Kaoru couldn't help but wish she had more experience or something that made her stand out better. Her original intent after graduating college was to attend law school. Unfortunately, her parents had passed away the year before, leaving she and her younger brother Yahiko to fend for themselves. The money that they were left in the will was reasonable, but it still meant that Kaoru would need to put off her graduate education until after Yahiko's future was secure. Kaoru could only hope that after working for several years, she would be able to get her law degree._

_Resisting the urge to smash her computer after it refused to start working, Kaoru opted for restarting it and getting a refill on her coffee. She was on her fifth cup, which wasn't unusual, but she had been hoping to cut back on her caffeine intake. Obviously, that wasn't working._

_As she returned to her seat, she was grateful that her computer had finished its restart sequence and her document had been recovered so none of her changes had been lost. She sighed as she took a sip of her coffee and glanced out the window to look at the rainy streets. A flash of green caught her eye, and within a minute, a petite girl stood before her holding a closed green umbrella that was dripping wet. "Hey, Kaoru! What are you working on?"_

"_Hey, Misao. I'm still working on my resume, trying to make it somewhat more presentable to my future employers," Kaoru replied as Misao sat down across from her at the table._

"_Well, you'll be happy to know that Okina sent in an outstanding recommendation for you," said Misao cheerfully._

_Kaoru looked shocked. She had decided to apply to the Tokyo Police Department on a whim the week before. If she hadn't been so desperate to find a job, then the sign outside the TPD building wouldn't have even caught her eye. And Kaoru had assumed that there would be no way she would ever get that job anyway, considering she had no experience in the field. However, Misao's grandfather, Okina, was well-known in the detective world, and when Misao told him about Kaoru's need for employment, he immediately sent in a recommendation._

"_Oh, come on, Kaoru. Don't look so surprised. I told you Gramps would be happy to do that for you," giggled Misao after seeing her friend's shocked expression._

_Kaoru smiled and shook her head, "No, I know that. It's just…what if I actually get the job? I mean, that would be great, but honestly I have no experience."_

_Misao immediately waved off her doubts, "Don't worry about it. They know that, so if they hire you it would be for some other reason."_

"_Like what?" Kaoru asked dryly._

"_Well, you know, you're hard work, determination, common sense, intellect, drive," Misao started, naming off Kaoru's more admirable traits on her fingers._

"_Stubbornness, temper, complete lack of knowledge of the field," Kaoru cut in._

_Misao ignored her and continued, "Anyway, they're supposed to call sometime today about it, so that's why I came looking for you. I called your cell to let you know to pay attention to it, but since you didn't answer I decided to come to one place that I knew you would be."_

_As Misao was talking, Kaoru blanched and started rifling through her purse. She had turned her cell phone on silent while she had been working on her resume in the hopes that she wouldn't get distracted. Once she found it amongst the other clutter in her bag, she flipped it open to find that she had 1 missed call – Misao. A wave of relief rushed through her body, and she calmly turned her phone off silent and set in on the table next to her laptop. "Luckily, you are the only person who's called me so far today," Kaoru replied, setting her purse back on the empty chair next to her._

_As Misao opened her mouth to answer, a familiar ring erupted throughout the café. Kaoru's eyes went wide as she slowly turned her attention to the vibrating device within arms reach. The number that was displayed on the screen was restricted. Misao noticed Kaoru's suddenly pale face and grinned widely, "That must be them. Go on, Kaoru! Answer it."_

_Slowly, Kaoru reached for her phone and flipped it open. Taking a deep breath, she spoke clearly and with newfound strength, "Hello?"_

"_Is this Kamiya Kaoru?"_

"_Yes, this is she," Kaoru answered firmly, determined to sound strong for a potential job opportunity._

"_Good. I'll get straight to the point. After reading your rather inexperienced and amateur resume to the Tokyo Police Department, you have been hired."_

_Kaoru's brows furrowed in frustration as she felt her anger boiling. "Excuse me?" she asked angrily. She couldn't believe the gall of the man on the other line. She could imagine him smirking at her obvious annoyance at his careless and indirect insults. "If you consider me such an inexperienced applicant, then why are you hiring me?"_

"_We can't afford to wait much longer for a more appealing candidate to apply for the job, so we are settling for you despite your lack of obvious skills."_

"_That makes no sense," Kaoru muttered before she could stop herself._

_The voice continued, "A certain recommendation for you suggested that you possess other assets that we may find useful. Hopefully, he was not wrong in his judgment of your character."_

"_Whom exactly am I speaking to?" Kaoru asked, tapping her finger on her coffee mug in irritation. Misao watched, curious as to why Kaoru sounded quite so frustrated when she was potentially speaking to her employer._

"_Hajime Saito. I am your new boss, and I expect you here tomorrow morning at 8 am. Good day, Kamiya." _

"_You expect me to come in after you've insulted me endlessly?" Kaoru replied, practically shouting in her phone. But when she heard no response, she glanced at her phone to see that he had already ended the conversation. She supposed it was fortunate he hadn't heard her last comment, but a part of her was still somewhat disappointed. _

_Misao was peering at her from across the table. "So?" she asked eagerly, watching Kaoru frowning at her phone. "Did you get the job?"_

"_Unfortunately." She began massaging her temples in obvious annoyance._

"_What do you mean _unfortunately_? I thought you wanted it," Misao asked with a confused expression on her face. Kaoru was still glaring at her phone as if it was the source of all her problems. Finally Kaoru sighed and set the offending object back on the table._

"_My new boss, Saito, is a complete jerk. He kept reminding me of my obvious lack of experience. And he even had the gall to tell me that they didn't have time to hire 'more appealing candidate' so they were 'settling for me,' " Kaoru replied, mimicking Saito's arrogant voice. She could already picture the man leering at her and probably smoking a cigarette, considering his gruff voice._

"_Oh yeah…Gramps mentioned something about that guy. From what I gathered, he's an arrogant prick," Misao answered thoughtfully._

"_Thanks for the warning," Kaoru said sarcastically. She leaned back in her chair and groaned, wondering what she was getting herself into. At least she could put off her resume a little longer._

_The next day found Kaoru standing in a dimly lit office that was filled with smoke. The image her mind had conjured up of the pompous cop had not been far off. He sat before her casually with his feet propped up on his desk and a cigarette in his mouth. His black hair was slick with a few bangs falling into his eyes. He had a very angled face, and his yellow eyes seemed to pierce through the smoke in an eerie way. Kaoru barely managed to hide a scowl erupt across her face at the obvious disgust for the man before her. Unfortunately he was her boss, so Kaoru assumed she had to pay him some level of respect._

_He sneered at her and shrugged, apparently unaffected by her barely contained contempt for his self. "Well, Kamiya, at least you are useful for one thing."_

"_And that is?" Kaoru asked, trying to hide her frustration._

"_Promptness," he replied shortly. "Hopefully, you will not disappoint me the rest of the day, but I'm not going to hold my breath."_

"_Oh, please don't. It would be best if you continued to inhale the toxic air in this room. That way you will at least be guaranteed to get lung cancer."_

_Kaoru's angry expression and hot temper only managed to draw a smile out of the officer. He took another drag of the cigarette before continuing, seemingly unfazed by his new employee's hope for his demise, "You'll only be doing minor tasks for the department as of now. Your only use will be coffee runs, case filing, answering the phone, etc. I expect that your lack of experience will not reflect in such mindless duties."_

"_And I suppose I will have to go on cigarette runs as well?" Kaoru asked sourly._

_Saito merely snorted, "As if I would give you additional opportunities to get me killed. I wouldn't trust anything that you give me, Kamiya."_

"_Wise."_

"_That's why I am such a good detective. Now go work." Kaoru didn't need to be told twice, and she quickly turned on her heel and rushed out of the smoke-filled office. Her first encounter with Saito had been only a sampling of their many verbal battles. _

--End Flashback—


	4. First Lead

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.**

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**A/N: **I know it's been a little while since I last updated, and I hope everyone is still reading the story. I'd love to get more reviews so I have a lot of feedback! Anyway, a certain redhead finally makes an appearance...took four chapters for it to happen...please enjoy!

**Reviewers:**

Kokoronagomu: I'm glad you enjoyed it. I love sarcasm, so that kind of banter will be very prevalent in my story. I'll try to make sure there's a lot of it in every chapter.

Tree of Ashes: I think the relationship between Kaoru and Saito is always entertaining. Saito's character is so funny, and I love how he thrives off of mocking other people. Naturally, Kaoru would never stand for that, so they have an unusual relationship. I think the conversations between those two are my favorite parts to write, so I can promise that there will more to come!

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**Chapter 4: First Lead**

Kaoru smelled the familiar scent of cigarette smoke as she watched her boss stand casually before them. His cocky attitude and contempt for all human being other than himself didn't surprise her anymore. She had quickly become accustomed to his arrogant nature within the first few days of meeting him. She and Sano seemed to be some of the only few people who didn't let him get to them. She had come to terms with the fact that being an arrogant bastard was about as essential to his survival as breathing. While she spat insults back at the man, Sano favored ignorance. And as usual, Sano was casually brushing off the remarks.

He turned to eye Saito from his seat and smiled ruefully, "Nice to see you, Saito. We were just having coffee. Care to join us?"

Saito snorted at the idea. "I have no wish to ruin what could be a pleasant day." He turned and looked at Kaoru, adding, "It's nice to see you are no longer wallowing in self pity."

"What are you doing here?" Kaoru asked, her temper flaring immediately. She was sick of the man's uncanny knowledge of her love life.

"Walking down the street," Saito replied simply.

"And I'm supposed to _believe_ that? That you just _happened_ to be walking down this particular street?" Kaoru hissed accusingly.

Saito raised a brow in amusement. "If you must know, my wife sent me to pick up muffins at a bakery that happens to on this street. I was not aware that was a crime, Kamiya."

Kaoru's eyes widened in surprise, and she flushed in embarrassment, lost for words. The image of Saito casually sipping coffee and eating a muffin at a kitchen table on Sunday morning was an odd vision to behold, and Kaoru didn't think she would ever feel the same about the sweet treat again.

Sano, however, had a completely different reaction to Saito's words. "You're married? Someone actually _married_ you? Oi, Jou-chan, did you know about this?"

Kaoru glanced at her friend and nodded sheepishly. "I met Tokio once when I went to their house with, um…went to their house for dinner," she replied, stumbling over her words.

"Ah, yes. And what an _interesting_ choice of company you decided to bring," Saito replied. "You certainly have an unusual choice in men."

"Tell me you didn't," Sano breathed, looking at Kaoru questioningly. The guilty look on her face made the truth evident. "Damn, I bet _that_ was an interesting night."

"He was one of _your_ friend's, I believe," Saito continued, looking pointedly at Sano. Kaoru was getting tired of the conversation that clearly involved Kenshin, and she especially didn't enjoy feeling out of the loop. Both her coworker and employer were talking about her ex-boyfriend in a way that suggested much more than his mere connection to Kaoru.

Saito caught Kaoru's glowering look and smirked, "Now, I must get going. I do not want to waste my time discussing frivolous topics with idiots."

Kaoru felt her temper rising even more, if possible. "What a shame you can't stay longer, Saito-san," she muttered sarcastically.

Instead of commenting, he said gruffly, "Don't be late tomorrow now that you've decided to finally show up again." He turned abruptly and walked down the street. Kaoru's angry eyes followed his form until it disappeared out of sight.

She huffed, "I can't believe the nerve of that guy."

Sano looked at her curiously, "How are you holding up by the way?" His voice was suddenly tender and his face full of concern.

Kaoru looked up at him, surprised by his apparent worry. She shook her head, "I'll be fine. I just hate how my life feels like such an open book. Even Saito comments on my relationship with Kenshin."

"Well, Saito's a jerk. You know that."

Kaoru sighed. "I know. But I hate how he seems so happy to see me miserable. If he didn't want me to have a relationship with Kenshin, then he shouldn't have kept putting me on cases involving him," she said in irritation.

"He wasn't exactly against it," Sano answered without thinking. Upon seeing Kaoru's stunned expression and sudden attentiveness, he grew uncomfortable and began shifting in his seat. "Uh, I mean—"

"What do you mean he wasn't exactly against it?" Kaoru asked suspiciously. "He wasn't setting us up, was he?"

"No!" Sano said, shaking his hands in front of him frantically. "It was never planned that the two of you would meet or anything, but you seemed to have a positive influence on the guy, so—"

"So Saito kept putting me on his cases so we would meet? That doesn't make any sense. I had already met him from that blind date you set me up on."

"Technically, but you more had a date with Kenshin not Battousai…I mean, they're the same person and everything, but you didn't know who he really was and it wasn't like he was going to tell you, soooo," Sano said quickly, finally cutting himself off when he began rambling. "You're really looking too far into this," he sighed. "Look. No one set you up, no one tried to get you guys together, and no one tried to tear you two apart. That was all Kenshin. We _did_ try to stop him from leaving but—"

"You _knew_ he was going to leave me? Both you and Saito knew all the while I was happily coming to work not expecting anything?"

Sano saw he was entering dangerous territory, and a bead of sweat appeared on his brow. "Okay, Jou-chan, you're really making it sound worse than it is. Kenshin…he just has issues, and there's nothing we can really do about it. Saito and I tried to talk him out of his absurd ideas, but it didn't really work. He's pretty stubborn."

Kaoru looked at Sano as the words seeped in. Suddenly she started laughing, and Sano gaped at her.

"Okay, now she's gone crazy," he muttered, shaking his head.

Kaoru heard his comment but couldn't manage to contain her laughter. The image that had popped in her head was too humorous for her not to laugh. Imagining Sano and Saito standing in a room with Kenshin, both working together to try to keep him from leaving his girlfriend…two detectives patching up an infamous criminal's love life? It was just such an odd situation. After the comical idea began fading from her mind, Kaoru noticed Sano's perplexed expression and shook her head. "I'm sorry, I was just thinking about you and Saito talking about…oh, never mind. Anyway, I'm sorry about getting mad at you, Sano. There wasn't really anything you could do. Kenshin's even more stubborn than me."

Sano grinned and visibly relaxed. "There's no one more hard-headed than the Battousai."

Kaoru couldn't agree more.

When Kaoru returned to her apartment and set her keys on the counter, she couldn't help but wonder how her day had become so strange. Her conversation with Sano had been enlightening to say the least. He told her that if she ever needed anything, then she shouldn't hesitate to call. She was grateful that he was being such a great friend, and she felt he was like the older brother she never had. Also, learning that Saito and Kenshin worked together was eye opening. She had always suspected that they had some sort of strange relationship, but she hadn't quite expected _that_, which only brought more questions to her mind.

Why would her boss, head of the Tokyo Police Department, be working with a criminal? That didn't make any sense at all. Either Saito wasn't as honest and law abiding as she initially thought, or Kenshin wasn't as attacking and seditious as was believed. Kaoru knew that there was something going on behind the scenes – some force that was greater than she could ever imagine. It was giving her a headache thinking about it. And it didn't help that Sano was send to watch over her, which meant that Kenshin clearly still cared about her. Although Sano had made that point painfully obvious when he said that Kenshin still loved her, it frustrated her to no end that the redhead loved her but still left. It was a worse feeling than if he simply wanted to break up. Why was he such an idiot?

Kenshin was the kindest and most caring person she had ever met. But he had a stubbornness that was matched by no other. If he truly felt Kaoru would be safer without him around, then no one would be able to change his mind. So what did he expect her to do? He wanted to be with her, yet he didn't. Did he want her to move on and find someone else? Probably not, and she certainly had no intention of moving on, especially when she knew Kenshin was out there somewhere. He had captured her heart, and the only way she could get it back was to be with him.

Kaoru slammed her fist on the counter in frustration. How did he expect her to recover from this? She would rather be in constant danger, having her life always be on the line, being chased by whoever was after Kenshin, than be safe and sound living without him. The hole in her heart was harder to bear than any physical pain she could ever feel. Plus, with Kenshin's impeccable fighting skills and unnatural sixth sense, Kaoru couldn't help but feel that she wouldn't ever be in that grave of danger anyway. And who was to say once he was gone that no one would still try to get to him through her? If he still loved her, then attacking her would certainly draw him from hiding.

All of the confusing thoughts swirling through her began giving Kaoru a headache. Shaking her head, she trudged to the bathroom to get ready for bed. If she had to start work again the next day and deal with Saito's constant insults and threats, then she would need to be well rested.

Kaoru dreaded walking into the department that morning, but she knew there was no point in pointing it off any longer. She stood outside on the steps leading up to the building and took a deep breath before finally entering and heading down the familiar hallway. Familiar faces started giving her questioning looks, clearly curious as to her mysterious absence the week before. She had decided already to admit the truth – she had been dumped by a long-term boyfriend. It wasn't a lie, but she wasn't giving any more details than that. She figured that people would feel sorry for her enough to not ask any more questions anyway.

As soon as Kaoru reached her cubicle, she was immediately paged to meet Saito in his office. She groaned, wondering why she was being cursed and having to meet with the jerk so early in the morning. She had barely even stepped foot in the office, and already she had to meet with him?

Stepping into the office, which was filled with smoke as usual, Kaoru recognized the lean form of her boss in the swivel chair behind the desk. She crossed her arms and stood there, impatiently tapping her foot against the ground, while waiting for him to turn around. After about a minute, which seemed much longer than 60 seconds, the chair turned around and Saito blew a puff of smoke from his sneering mouth. "Good morning," he said simply.

"Are you going to keep me waiting here all day or are you going to tell me why you called me to your lovely office?" She stressed the word 'lovely' as she continued her foot tapping. Meeting with Saito before her morning coffee sunk in was never a good start to the day.

"And what exactly would you be doing otherwise when you have not been given an assignment? Sort files?"

Kaoru ignored the fact that he had made a good point. In truth, she didn't have any other cases to work on. She opened her mouth to shoot back a verbal insult, but she found she couldn't find any words to deny the truth behind his words.

He smiled at his victory and picked up a file on the corner of his desk to plop in front of her. At her questioning look, he said simply, "Your new assignment."

Kaoru fidgeted nervously. She couldn't help but pray that it had nothing to do with Kenshin. If it did, then she would walk straight out of the office without turning back. She could tolerate Saito's constant jarring remarks and scathing insults, but this would be a sick joke and one she couldn't handle. He noticed her hesitance and added, "Relax. It has nothing to do with the Battousai, but you will still be working with Sagara."

Kaoru let out the breath that she hadn't even realized she had been holding and stepped forward to pick up the thick file. Before she even opened it, Saito blew another puff of smoke and continued, "Makoto Shishio. He's a crazed man who has been planning on taking over the country. He needs to be stopped, and his whereabouts are unknown. It is up to you and Sagara to learn as much as you can about this man and bring him into custody. Naturally, you two will have to actually follow through with an assignment for once. And no, Sagara does not work with Shishio and his intentions on this assignment are not to run you two in circles."

Kaoru stared at her boss. He had never bluntly spoken before about how Sano and Kenshin worked together or how Sano had never brought actual results from their previous assignments involving Battousai. While Kaoru had been dimly aware that Saito knew of Sano's allegiance, he had never mentioned it and it had never really been proven. However, now Saito was admitting it, and she suspected he knew of her conversation with Sano the day before. To what extent she was not sure, but he definitely knew something. And this Shishio character was an actual criminal that they needed to bring into custody. After working for the department for more than a year, Kaoru couldn't really believe that she had never really had a case that required bringing someone to justice. All of the other cases had involved Kenshin and were therefore half-hearted and only meant to _appear_ as though the department was trying to catch him. Unfortunately, the reasons behind the illusions of trying to catch the infamous criminal Battousai were still unknown to her.

"Is Sanoske in the office already?" Kaoru asked. Usually Sano would come strolling in hung over or sometimes still drunk from the previous night's activities. It was not a secret to anyone in the department that he would arrive after lunch on a daily basis. Kaoru could only assume that he must be very productive by the time he did come to work since he only worked about as half as many hours as anyone else. Of course, if he was working with Kenshin, then he probably had other things to do earlier or things that kept him awake unnaturally late, resulting in his need to sleep absurdly late.

"Surprisingly enough, the idiot came in about half an hour ago," Saito answered. "I believe his poker game was canceled last night."

At the last comment Kaoru couldn't help but laugh. While Saito said it in a sarcastic manner, Kaoru had a feeling that it was probably a true statement. "Thanks, Saito," she said, stepping out of the office. She leaned briefly on the closed door behind her, enjoying the fresh air finally. A loud voice to her left snapped her out of her reverie.

"Oi, Jou-chan!"

Kaoru sighed and turned to see the familiar face of Sano looming over her. He was grinning and waving at her ridiculously. Kaoru never understood how he always seemed to be such an idiot at all hours of the day. "Good morning, Sano. Strange to see you quite this early."

"Ah, my poker game got canceled," he replied sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. Kaoru paused and gaped at him. When he saw her shocked expression, he gave her a quizzical look. "What's that face for?"

"Uh, never mind," Kaoru replied, shaking her head. It was creepy how Saito knew things like that. Her boss liked to act like he didn't care about his employees at all, but it was becoming apparent that he was acutely aware of all of their extracurricular activities. He was the head of the detective department, after all. Walking up to her partner, Kaoru held out the file, "Makoto Shishio."

Sano's face visibly paled but he reached for the manila envelope anyway. "Um, okay then."

Kaoru noticed his expression and asked, "Are you okay, Sanoske?"

"Oh, uh, yeah, I'm fine. Weird having a real case is all," he replied, shrugging carelessly. Kaoru decided to dismiss his previous unusual behavior. Sano turned to head back to his small office, and Kaoru followed him. It was always nice to work in a private room rather than her cubicle that was much too public for her liking.

When they reached the office, Sano quickly closed and locked the door behind him before heading to his desk and sitting in his chair, propping his legs up on the desk. "Alright, so let's get started."

Kaoru knew their usual routine. She opened the files and started reading information, while Sano figured out what they needed to do. He wasn't much for reading files. Opening the envelope, she pulled out the first few pages, which was a summary of the case. "Makoto Shishio is a skilled swordsman who is planning to take over Japan. He has a group of supporters, and a man named Hoji who is the man that funds Shishio's activities. The whereabouts of Shishio are unknown, but he is currently residing somewhere in Japan, presumably near Kyoto. The reason for his apparent hatred for the government is also unknown, but he is a threat to the peace and must be found as soon as possible," Kaoru finished, looking up at her partner. Sano appeared to be looking off in the distance, not paying much attention. This wasn't unusual, but as this was a real case, Kaoru was a little confused at Sano's apparent lack of interest. "Sanoske! Did you hear a word I just said?"

"What? Oh yeah, crazy dude trying to take over Japan. Good swordsman…head of Juppongatana…overall creepy guy," he replied, waving her off nonchalantly.

Kaoru glared at him. So maybe he had listened since he understood the basics, at least, she thought. But then his words hit her. Juppongatana? Kaoru suddenly turned to the file and started flipping through the pages before coming across the information on a later page. "How did you know his group's called the Juppongatana?" she asked.

The knuckle cracking immediately stopped and Sano turned to her, "Didn't you say that?"

"No," she said flatly.

"Oh, well, I must have seen it in the file somewhere."

Kaoru set the file down on the desk and turned her body fully towards Sano. "You never opened the file, Sanoske, which means you know something that I don't."

Sano looked nervously around the room and appeared to be shrinking in his chair. "W-Well, I've heard about this guy a little bit," he sputtered.

"From who? Does this case involve Kenshin again? Is this some sick joke that Saito wants to torment me with?" Kaoru was standing now, her fists clenched at her sides, anger boiling just beneath the surface.

Sano tried to gather his wits together and shook his head furiously, "No, it's not like that, Jou-chan. We're not looking for Kenshin or anything. This is all about Shishio, but I've just heard about this guy during one of my gambling bouts."

Kaoru relaxed slightly. It made sense to her. If Shishio was such a threat, then the people that Sano hung out with, who were often criminals themselves even if only minorly, would have heard of him. After all, they _all_ knew of Battousai.

"Fine," she said coolly, sitting back in her chair. "So where do we start searching for this guy?"

Sano resumed chewing on his pencil and leaned back in his chair. "Well, I guess we could go to Kyoto. That's where they think he is anyway. Or if you want, you can come with me tonight to meet some of my buddies. We can ask around, and they should know something about the guy."

Kaoru thought about it a moment, taking time to weigh the consequences. Going to Kyoto could be a little reckless, as it would take too much of their time if they didn't really have any leads that lead them to the capital to begin with. If they spent the night searching for clues in Tokyo that night, then they might be able to find some answers that give them a more accurate on the idea of Shishio's location. If he did happen to be Kyoto, then at least they would know to spend more time there. Finally, she nodded, "Okay, I'll go with you tonight. But I'm warning you that I'm not drinking and I'm not gambling."

Sano held up his hands in defeat, "That's fine with me. Besides, I already heard from Kenshin what happens when you drink and I don't want to deal with an angry raccoon."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Kaoru shrieked at the snickering Sano.

* * *

A knock sounded at the apartment door, and the loud voices outside told Kaoru immediately who was waiting for her. Taking a deep breath, she tried to reassure herself that it _was_ a good idea on her part to this. She slowly opened the door and found herself leaping to the side as the whirlwind called Misao came flying into the apartment, followed by a more relaxed Megumi. Kaoru still couldn't believe she was doing this. She had called Misao and Megumi over to help her decide what to wear for she and Sano's so-called night out. She was supposed to go with him to a bar in one of the darker areas in Tokyo, but she wasn't really sure how to dress. All that Sano had told her was 'to look the part.'

"Kaoru, I'm so excited you're letting us help you get ready for the big night! I swear you haven't left this apartment in a week," Misao cried, excitedly clapping her hands together.

"Correction," Megumi started, shaking her head. "_I'm_ helping her get ready. _You're_ just here for moral support."

"What?! No way. I'm at least doing her hair," Misao pouted while crossing her arms over her chest.

"I refuse to let Kaoru walk out the door all dressed up with a _braid_ in her hair."

"There's nothing wrong with a braid. Tell her, Kaoru," Misao said defensively.

Kaoru rolled her eyes. Their friendly banter never really got to her, but she refused to be pulled into the middle of it. And as usual, Kaoru had three options. One, she could agree with Misao about how there was nothing wrong with a braid. It was Misao's favorite hairstyle, and it always made her friend look effortlessly pretty. Option two, Kaoru could agree with Megumi about how a braid wasn't the right hairstyle for going to a bar. She might want to wear her hair in a less casual manner to play up her long tresses. But both of these options meant that one of her friend's would feel as thought she were picking sides. And so, as usual, Kaoru chose option number three: completely change the subject.

"It's really not a night out. Don't forget that this _is_ for work. I'm not trying to pick up guys at a bar here," Kaoru said, watching her two friends closely. Her attempt at appeasing the situation worked, as both Megumi and Misao quirked up eyebrows at her.

"Aren't you supposed to look the part?" Megumi questioned.

"Well, yes, but--"

"Then then you're still dressing for a night out," Misao cut in.

"I know, but--"

"Forget it, tanuki. We're dressing you appropriately, so just be quiet." Megumi then abruptly turned on her heel and headed towards Kaoru's closet. The three girls began rifling through in an attempt to find something that was not merely jeans and a t-shirt. "Ah-hah!" Megumi said at last. She was holding up a dress in triumph. "I knew you had something sultry hidden in the back of your closet somewhere. Is this a _tag_?" she asked, holding a piece of paper still attached to the dress.

"Uh, yeah, Tae bought that for me last year. I never got around to wearing it," Kaoru said sheepishly. She still remembered opening up the dress for her birthday and being shocked by its lack of material.

"Remind me to thank Tae. I can't believe you haven't worn this before."

Once the dress was picked out, Megumi proceeded to do her hair and make-up while Misao chatted with her amiably, apparently having forgotten her lack of hands-on aid in Kaoru's physical preparation. When the girls left, Kaoru glanced at the clock. Sano would be there in five minutes.

Standing before her full-length mirror, she took the time to admire Megumi's handiwork. While she looked drastically different from her usual, natural-looking self, the young woman that was reflected in the mirror was made up and clearly ready to party. Her eyes were smoky black with eyeliner that curled up slightly at the outer edges of her eyes, making them stand out and shine sapphire amidst the smoldering black outlining. Her cheeks were tinged pink, and her cheekbones were elegantly accentuated. Loose waves fell about her shoulders in thick locks, and some of the pieces framed her face effortlessly. She wore a tight black dress that dipped low in the front and rouged in the middle to show off her trim waist. It ended mid-thigh, and her strappy black heels made her legs look long and lean. The look was so unlike her, but she certainly looked gorgeous nonetheless. Kaoru couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed that Kenshin wasn't around to see this new ensemble. Although, he had been fortunate enough to be able to see some of Megumi's other creations when he had been around.

Kaoru heard the knock and grabbed her clutch from the kitchen counter before heading over to answer the door. Sano stood there in his usual get-up, but when he saw Kaoru, his jaw dropped. "Geez, Jou-chan, you look hot," he said.

Kaoru shook her head and pulled him away from the door, "Thank Megumi. Now we have work to do, so come on already."

Whistling after her, Sano found it difficult to keep up, despite Kaoru's hindrance by the heels. While she rarely wore the things, she still knew how to walk in them. "Oi, tell the fox to visit me sometime by the way," Sano called, hurrying after Kaoru.

When they made it to the bar, Kaoru realized that it was definitely not one of the nicest areas in Tokyo. She had never been down here before, but she had heard Kenshin mention it a few times. The bar was called 'Ruffian's Row,' which Kaoru admitted suited Sano just fine. The 'o' in 'Row' wasn't lit as the neon sign clearly needed some repair, and one of the 'f's was blinking dimly. A few sketchy figures stood outside smoking, but Kaoru didn't make eye contact as she followed Sano inside. The music played loudly, and the bar was somewhat crowded even though it was a Monday night. When Sano entered, the bartender called them over. "The usual, Sano?" the old man asked, pulling out a large glass that he began filling with beer.

"Thanks, man," Sano grinned, grabbing the glass and downing half of it.

"And for the lady?" asked the bartender.

Sano glanced at Kaoru, who shifted nervously. "Uh, cran and vodka, but hold the vodka," Sano answered, giving Kaoru a sly grin.

"No vodka? Are you a prude or something?" the bartender asked, eyeing Kaoru curiously.

"Um, n-no, it's just that I--," Kaoru started, unsure of how to answer such a question. She didn't want to say that she didn't react well to alcohol because that was just embarrassing.

Sano noticed her discomfort and answered for her, "She's pregnant."

Kaoru's face blanched, and she stared at Sano in shock. How _dare_ he? However, the bartender seemed to take this as a perfectly reasonable explanation and filled a glass with cranberry juice. "Well, here you go, young lady. You are positively the most beautiful pregnant woman I've ever seen."

"Just a few weeks along," Kaoru muttered, snatching the glass and glaring at Sano.

Sano chuckled, "Yeah, one of my buddies is a very lucky guy. Come on, Jou-chan." He steered the fuming girl away from the bar and towards one of the back rooms. "The guys should be playing cards back there probably, so I figured we'd start with them. They'd be expecting me soon anyway."

"I can't believe you said I was pregnant," she said coolly as they drew closer to the room.

"Yeah, well, that guy would keep badgering you until you drank otherwise. He's recently decided to be sober, so he takes pleasure in watching other people get drunk instead. Kinda twisted really."

Sano opened the door to the room, and the sound of laughter immediately reached Kaoru's ears. "Miss me?" Sano asked, spreading his arms wide with a grin across his face. Five heads turned in their direction, followed by five whistles. Kaoru resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she listened to the men. She could've sworn they sounded as if they'd never seen a female before.

"Who's the lovely lady?" one of them asked, hooting.

"Nice catch, Sano!"

"Where can I get one like that?"

Kaoru was blushing furiously and quickly found herself regretting her decision to come as one of the men looped an arm around her waist. "Hey, beautiful. Why don't you sit next to me?"

Kaoru cringed at the smell of alcohol and smoke on the man's breath and moved to step away. She felt Sano's hand wrap around her shoulder protectively, and he said firmly, "She's taken."

"Oh really? I've never heard you mention her before, Sano," the first man commented.

"That's because she's not with me," Sano shrugged.

The man who had already tired to snatch Kaoru eyed Sano, "Well if she's not with you, then I don't really see a reason why she's here. Besides, I'm sure I'm much better than whatever guy you claim she's with."

Kaoru felt her situation growing bleak. Technically she was single, right? She didn't want to consider herself single, especially since she still felt so attached to Kenshin and he was still obviously attached to her. So what were they anyway? Were they on a break? Did he expect her to date other people? Because she wasn't going to anyway.

Before she was able to get any more lost in her thoughts, Sano's grip on her tightened, and she heard his voice. "I'm watching her for a friend of mine." When the voices and objections started again, he added loudly, "A _redheaded_ friend of mine." Kaoru froze…so maybe she wasn't really single. The whole room had gone silent, and Kaoru felt the five pairs of eyes of the other men on her. They were looking at her curiously now, and their eyes lacked all of the lust that had been there before. There was something else behind those eyes that she couldn't quite pinpoint.

"Guess someone like him wouldn't settle for anything less," one of the guys muttered, picking up his cards.

"She might even be hotter than the last one," the sleazy guy added, also turning to his cards.

Kaoru immediately looked to Sano for an answer to that question, but Sano simply shook his head and muttered, "Forget that, Kaoru. That was a _long_ time ago."

Kaoru knew better than to ask more questions. When Sano used her full name like that, she knew it was serious. However, the comment spurred all sorts of thoughts in her mind. She always had a feeling that Kenshin had suffered some major heartbreak before she had entered his life, but she didn't really need the reminder. But her task that night was not to look into Kenshin's past girlfriends but to figure out of this Shishio character.

After she and Sano settled into their chairs, Kaoru managed to relax now that the men were no longer lusting after her. In fact, some of them even made jokes with her, and Kaoru was pleased to learn that they were really just like Sano. She found herself growing to like the men now that they saw her as off-limits and as just a friend. After playing cards for about an hour (although Kaoru just watched), Sano decided to start the questions. "So, Katsu," he started. "I gotta ask. Have you heard anything about a guy named Makoto Shishio?"

The guy named Katsu turned to look at Sano with a nervous glance. "Yeah, I've heard about him."

"And?"

Katsu set his cards down. "Is this for one of your cases? Which boss?"

"Does it matter?"

"Well, yeah, it kind of does. One would kill me, and the other would just throw me in jail. I value my life, you know."

Sano shook his head in disagreement, "Actually, Saito would probably kill you, too, if you didn't comply."

Katsu shrugged and picked up his cards again, "Fair enough. Shishio's been causing a lot of stir in the underworld recently. He's been buying all sorts of crazy things, one being some huge battleship. A lot of guys are loyal to him, but you know those type of underlings. Kill the chief, and they don't know what to do." Sano nodded knowingly. Followers like that never keep their loyalty once their king is dead. In other words, the main goal is to get Shishio, and then his followers are easy to take care of. Katsu sighed and continued, signaling for another card. "Last I heard he was in Kyoto somewhere. He plans to attack the capital, so that's probably where he's planning on hiding out for now."

Kaoru couldn't believe their luck. Now that they had a good clue to Shishio's headquarters, they would be able to go to Kyoto and try to search for him there. It narrowed down the possibilities tremendously.

"Thanks, Katsu. You're a pal," Sano replied with a grin, laying down his cards. "Blackjack, by the way." He stood up and motioned for Kaoru to follow.

"Don't you want your winnings?" Katsu asked as Sano and Kaoru made for the door.

Sano waved him off, "Nah, I already got what I need. I owe you anyway."

Kaoru looked at Sano excitedly as they made to leave the bar. "Sanoske, I can't believe it. We actually have a lead…already!"

Sano shrugged, "Never underestimate the powers of gambling."

"Whatever, it wasn't the gambling that got you the information, you idiot," Kaoru replied, shrugging off Sano's arm. They walked across the smoke and alcohol filled room to reach the exit, and Kaoru tried to avoid gawking at the belligerent antics of many of the bar's occupants. Several women seemed to be stumbling in their heels and sloppily trying to hit on equally drunk men. Kaoru wondered if these women had any idea how ugly these men truly were, but she had heard of 'beer-goggles' and decided that the alcohol was clearly impairing their vision. She was positive that they would wake up in the morning, disgusted at having woken up to such hideous beasts with outrageous beer bellies. Upon reaching the door, Sano suddenly went rigid, and Kaoru turned to him questioningly.

"You okay, Sanoske?"

"Uh, yeah, hang on a second, but I forgot to ask Katsu something. Wait here." Kaoru watched curiously as Sano disappeared into the crowed until she lost sight of him. Frustrated, she leaned against the wall and waited.

Sano meanwhile quickly maneuvered through a sea of people, pausing only to make sure Kaoru hadn't seen which direction he was headed. Satisfied that she couldn't see him, he veered off to the corner of the bar. A shadowy figure stood in the corner, arms crossed, and a knee bent with the foot propped up on the wall. The figure was leaning casually in the darkness, and no one, despite the crowded space, had dared venture within a ten-foot radius of the stranger. However, Sano felt no hesitation as he neared the corner and smirked as he saw a lock of red highlighted by a passing spotlight.

"So, you're still in Tokyo?" Sano asked, crossing his arms.

The mysterious man turned his head to Sano, and a pair of amber eyes could be made out from a sea of dark bangs. "I'm leaving tonight actually," came a smooth voice. "I had business here."

"Yeah, right," Sano snorted. "You were here simply to spy on Jou-chan."

The amber eyes flickered towards the front of the bar where Kaoru stood fidgeting and gazing at the drunk mass of people making fools of themselves on the dance floor. "Perhaps."

"Just so you know, we're probably leaving for Kyoto tomorrow," Sano continued.

"What? Why?" The voice was suddenly angry, and Sano picked up on an emotion akin to concern behind the tone.

Sano shrugged, "Saito put us on the Shishio case, and that's where he is, isn't he?"

"How'd you know that?"

"Just found out tonight from Katsu. Please don't kill him."

"I wasn't going to," he responded coolly.

"Or Saito," Sano sighed.

There was a long moment of silence, and Sano was sure that Saito's death was going to be assured. Fortunately, the man finally conceded, "Fine."

"Good because we both know what a mess that would be," Sano breathed with relief. As much as he wanted the wolf dead, it really wouldn't do them any good.

"Why did he assign her the case?" asked the redhead angrily.

"Beats me. Saito's idea of a sick joke, I guess. She doesn't know about your involvement, though."

"Good. Keep it that way."

Sano closed his eyes and shook his head in frustration. Sometimes his friend could be so stubborn. "Look, this is ridiculous. You may think she's safer and better off this way, but you're killing her. Maybe not physically, but she's dying inside without you. Why don't you just suck it up and go back to her?"

"Sano, you know I can't do that. She doesn't deserve someone like me."

"Shove it," Sano replied. "You're my best friend, and it's my duty to tell you when you're being an idiot. Even Saito thinks so."

"Is that why he put her on this case then?"

Sano laughed slightly and said, "That would be a pretty amusing reason for him to do it, wouldn't it? Saito, secretly sentimental and wanting a happily-ever-after ending. Who knew he was such a romantic?"

To Sano's relief, a chuckle erupted from the dark figure. "That would be quite a revelation. Now, go back to her before some drunk idiot tries to hit on her again."

"Will do, Cap'n," Sano replied, giving a mock salute. "She does look pretty great tonight, though, doesn't she?"

"Please don't rub it in."

"Got it. And you'd better keep a low profile in Kyoto if you don't want her to bump into you."

"That's my middle name," the man said with a smirk.

Sano shook his head, "I wouldn't call the infamous Battousai _low profile_, but you are pretty sneaky. But if she dresses like that again, though…"

"I recall telling you _not_ to rub it in."

Sano snickered, "Yeah, yeah. See ya, Kenshin."

Amber eyes watched as the ruffian made his way back through the crowd to the young woman waiting impatiently by the door. They softened, and a faint smile graced his lips as Kaoru began waving characteristically in the distance at a laughing Sano. No one throughout the bar heard the whisper, "Kaoru," or saw the shadow figure slip back into the night. However, the corner was soon filled with more drunken people as soon as its occupant vanished.

* * *

**A/N: **_In the next chapter, you'll learn how Kenshin and Kaoru met. And Sano and Kaoru will finally arrive in Kyoto...I wonder how efficient Mr. Low Profile will really be..._

_PLEASE REVIEW!_

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	5. Dreams to Kyoto

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.**

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**A/N: **I was bummed that I only got a few reviews for the last chapter, but I'm hoping a lot of people are still reading the story. It's been a little while since the last chapter, and I hope you enjoy this one! And please review! Even if it's a simple comment...I just love getting the "Alerts" haha

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**Chapter 5: Dreams to Kyoto**

Hajime Saito was working late at the department as usual, knowing full well that he was going to get an earful from his wife, Tokio, for missing dinner again. As he sorted through the files in front of him and lit another cigarette, he was suddenly aware of a dark aura that filled the room. "Are you _trying_ to piss me off?" asked a familiar, icy voice that pierced the silence of the office.

Saito leaned back in his chair and looked up to see a black-clad figure standing before him. Red hair shone in the dim light emanating from the fluorescent lights, and amber eyes glowed in the darkness. "And what did I do now to grant me the pleasure of _your_ company, Battousai?"

"She's going to Kyoto now," Kenshin answered in frustration, ignoring Saito's sarcastic question.

"Really?"

"Why did you put her on the Shishio case?" Kenshin asked, anger radiating off his whole form.

Saito, however, remained calm, despite the hitokiri's obvious fury. "I don't believe that is any of your business. Besides, it was the only available case."

"Damnit, Saito! This was exactly why I left in the first place. To keep her _out_ of danger!"

"And clearly your leaving has no impact on whether she is in danger or not. Running away is not going to keep that girl from harm. She brings enough trouble as is," Saito spat out.

Sano's earlier comments about Saito being a romantic popped into the redhead's mind, causing a smirk to grace his lips.

"What?" Saito asked, slightly unnerved by the sudden change in Kenshin's manner.

"I didn't take you to be such a romantic," he replied.

"Excuse me?"

"If you didn't want me to leave her so badly, then why didn't you say so?" Kenshin taunted.

Saito, however, was not amused. "First of all, I _did_ tell you, as did that rooster. And second, I'm not a romantic. But you're being an idiot. We don't want another Shishio in our midst, and that was exactly what was going to happen if she hadn't come into the picture."

Silence settled across the room as Saito's voice cut through like a knife. "Did you set us up?" Kenshin finally asked in a soft tone.

"Don't give me that much credit," Saito retorted. "I hired her because that old lunatic from the Oniwabanshu recommended her. The fact that you two seemed to get along well was just a bonus."

"And what would you have done if she hadn't come along?"

Saito drew a long drag of his cigarette and pondered his words, choosing them carefully. Finally, he responded quietly, "While I may despise you, I respect you as a skilled swordsman. Shishio was insane from the start, and he should never have been hired. You, on the other hand, were always level headed. However after a while, some began to question _your_ sanity as well. After the tragedy with the woman, you changed and took a turn for the worse. You weren't like Shishio in that you thrived off killing others, but your complete indifference to the matter caused concern. That Kamiya girl came along before any plans for you were discussed."

"I see," Kenshin said.

"Leaving her like that, however," Saito began. "It may raise alarm."

"There's no need for it," the redhead replied coolly. "I'm not like Shishio. I would never turn on them."

Saito shrugged, "The government may not see it that way."

Kenshin sighed and gazed at the wall. He had never thought he would be in this position. He had been around when the government decided to 'eliminate' Shishio, but their botched job now put them in a dangerous situation. He had met Shishio a few times, and the man was obviously nuts. Kenshin had assumed that if he remained emotionless and indifferent, then he would never suffer the same fate. However, he was now realizing that perhaps even on opposite sides of the spectrum, he and Shishio alike were both considered threats.

Groaning inwardly, he idly wondered how he had ever managed to get into this position. Turning to the man before him, he dreaded what he was about to ask, "And what do you propose I do?"

Saito sneered, biting back any insult revolving around the Battousai asking _him_ for advice. "Go to Kyoto and do your job. And if given the chance, don't run from her again."

The redhead chose not to answer. He turned to leave when Saito's voice echoed throughout the office again, "You can't always be there to protect her, but running away is a sure-fire way to fail. It's only going to cause her more pain. And in the end, it could cost you your life."

"Who said I was trying to protect it?"

And with those parting words, Battousai disappeared for the second time that night.

* * *

Kaoru tried to suppress a giggle as she watched her partner clutching the seats of the train as if for dear life. He had been uneasy about the trip the whole morning, but now that they had boarded the vehicle, Sano's worry had crossed the line of normalcy. He was clearly afraid of trains, despite his denials of his phobia. Kaoru found it all very amusing, and Sano's embarrassment was evident as his face blushed furiously. Yet he still couldn't find it within himself to relax.

"You know, Sanoske," Kaoru started, stifling another urge to laugh. "You're not afraid to get in fights or deal with armed criminals, yet you're afraid of a simple train that makes routine trips and never breaks down. And you even drive a car!"

"Cars are different," he retorted, glancing around nervously at the landscape that was flying past them. "They don't go as fast, and they're much smaller. This just defies logic."

"Whatever," Kaoru replied, rolling her eyes at his antics. She settled herself casually against the plush seats and closed her eyes. It was going to be a long ride.

* * *

**--Flashback—**

"_Kamiya, have you and Sagara made any progress on the Battousai case?" Saito asked, stopping by her cubicle with a trail of smoke floating behind him. Kaoru's face scrounged up in disgust at the smell and faced her boss with a scowl._

"_Not yet," she said in obvious disdain._

"_What have you two been doing for the past month? What am I paying you for?"_

_Kaoru replied sarcastically, "Well, maybe if my partner actually put forth some effort, then we'd actually come up with a few leads."_

_Her boss snorted and continued back to his office, ignoring the glare she was throwing his way. Kaoru had finally been given a case about a month ago and was told to partner up with Sagara Sanoske, a detective who had been in the department for several years. Unfortunately, Kaoru had not known of his lack of a work ethic. He never seemed motivated to follow any potential leads, and what he did choose to follow always seemed to be a dead end. Kaoru wasn't sure if he was doing this on purpose or if he was just an idiot._

_She had been stunned when Saito had given her such a prominent case and constantly wondered why a recent employee who lacked any experience in the field was issued a high-profile case in the first place. Surely Saito wasn't expecting very good results by the arrangement, but he never ceased to berate her continuously for her failures. The case involved the infamous criminal, Hitokiri Battousai, an alias he was given for his sharp skills with a sword and success as a deadly shadow assassin. His true identity was unknown, as was his age and his physical appearance. All in all, he was a mystery, and the media had a field day throwing his name across the news whenever possible. His work was easily identified due to his unique method of killing. His raw ability with the blade and knack for remaining in the shadows was what made him so dangerous. _

_Kaoru sighed, leaning back in her chair. She had discovered a recent lead, but she doubted Sano would have any interest in it as he never seemed to anyway. It wasn't for over a week, which gave her some time to try to convince her partner to follow through with it. Kaoru gritted her teeth at the idea of Saito making more scathing remarks about her incompetence. If Sano refused to go with her to the lead, then she would go alone! Having firmed her resolve, Kaoru put the file back on her desk and nearly jumped in surprise upon feeling a hand rest on her shoulder._

"_Oi, Jou-chan," came the familiar voice of her partner. Kaoru gave Sano a pointed look. "What did I do now?" he asked innocently._

"_It's not what you do but what you don't do," Kaoru explained, trying to contain her frustration with her lazy partner. "Saito came by again today to taunt me about our lack of leads on the case with Battousai."_

_Sano grinned sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. "Well, you know, it's a tricky case."_

"_I have another lead at the end of next week," Kaoru continued. "I think we should go after it and see where it goes."_

"_I don't know," Sano said slowly._

_Kaoru had been expecting this and launched into the speech she had practiced, "Okay, look, Sanoske. Battousai has been plaguing the streets of Japan and targeting government officials for years now. He's a threat to society and a madman that needs to be stopped. We cannot continue to let the psychopath roam the country attacking innocent people. It is our duty to put a stop to it, and I will do anything necessary to ensure that he is brought to justice. We don't get very many, and this lead could be our break. What's the worst that can happen if we don't follow it?"_

_Sano sighed, "I know, Jou-chan. But this one is a dead end, and I am sure of it."_

_Kaoru shook her head, "You're impossible, you know that?"_

_Sano merely shrugged and took to sitting on the clean space of her desk. Kaoru frowned at his casual manner and nonchalance. She hated it when he sat on her desk like that, and she swore that one day it was going to break. And knowing Sano, there would be no way he would get her a new desk. Sano, however, ignored her annoyance and changed the subject. "So how would you like to go on a blind date with a friend of mine tonight?"_

"_Excuse me?" Kaoru asked in surprise. She hadn't expected that kind of question, especially out of Sano's mouth. "I highly doubt that any of your friends are the reputable sort."_

_Sano laughed, "You do have a point there, but this guy's different. His name's Kenshin, and he's actually very respectable. He has a real job, makes more money than anyone I know, and doesn't care for gambling."_

"_I'm surprised you guys are friend then," Kaoru muttered._

"_Yeah, well, we go way back. He got me out of a jam a few years ago, and we've been pals since. He's my best friend, and I think you guys would get along really well."_

_Kaoru eyed Sano curiously. She was tempted to accept his offer. She hadn't had a boyfriend in what seemed like years. She had dated casually in high school and college, but it was never anything serious. And since she had graduated, she hadn't gone on a single date, which Misao and Megumi continuously reminded her. Finally, Kaoru gave in. "Okay, but this means that the next lead that we find, you are going to accompany me with."_

"_Just not the one tomorrow night?" Sano asked, eagerly accepting the deal._

"_Sure," Kaoru replied, shrugging her shoulders. _

"_Deal," Sano grinned, holding out his hand. Kaoru reluctantly shook it. "I'll let Kenshin know. He's a great guy, Jou-chan, so you won't be disappointed. I'll tell him to pick you up at seven tonight. How's that?"_

"_That's fine," she sighed, wondering what exactly she had gotten herself into. At least now the next lead that they got, Sano would have to pursue with her. Although, she didn't want to tell her partner that she was planning on going after the lead anyway. That one she would just have to take on herself._

* * *

_That night, Kaoru decided not to fill Misao and Megumi in on the date, knowing that they would try to dress her in some scandalous outfit that would send all the wrong messages. Not to mention, she was fairly certain that whatever sketchy character Sano had decided to set her up with was not going to be a winner. _

_She let her hair down to fall on her shoulders in a relaxed way and added a bit of make-up to accentuate her features without looking overdone. She wore a casual, halter dress with gold heels. She looked classic but elegant, making a point not to look like one of those dolled-up bimbos she so often saw going out at night. At seven, Kaoru heard the gentle knock and found herself opening the door to one of the most beautiful men she had ever laid eyes on. Her mind went blank, and her heart raced as she gaped at the man who was supposedly best friends with Sano. _

_He was a few inches taller than her with a lean figure that radiated a quiet strength. His lean muscles shown through his dark green dress shirt, and his black pants fit his body perfectly. Kaoru had a sneaking suspicion that his attire was Armani. Looking up at his face, Kaoru was shocked by the long, fiery red hair that tied in a low ponytail. Some locks of hair managed to break free of the tie to frame his angled face, and wispy bangs fell over piercing amber eyes. His tan face was marred by a cross-shaped scar on his left cheek. Surprisingly, Kaoru found that the scar only added to his obvious physical appeal, and it seemed to suit him perfectly. A smile graced his lips and Kaoru heard a deep, smooth voice break the silence, "Good evening. Are you Kamiya Kaoru?"_

_It took a moment before Kaoru was able to find her voice and managed to answer, "Yes." She was thankful her voice hadn't cracked at that one word._

_His smile only widened at the blush that was creeping to Kaoru's face. "It's nice to meet you, Kamiya-san. My name is Himura Kenshin."_

"_Please call me Kaoru, Himura-san," Kaoru replied, blushing furiously._

"_Alright, Kaoru," he returned. Kaoru felt herself shiver when her name fell from his lips. "Then I insist that you call me Kenshin." He reached for her hand and gently kissed it lightly. Kaoru was sure that everyone in the entire apartment complex would be able to hear her pounding heart at this point. She had never imagined a blind date being quite so charming and, well, _hot_._

"_I hope you like sushi, Kaoru," Kenshin continued, leading her into the hallway. "I took the liberty of making reservations downtown."_

"_Oh, I love sushi," Kaoru exclaimed, locking her apartment door. She then covered her mouth in embarrassment at her sudden exclamation but relaxed when she was rewarded with a chuckle from the redhead._

"_I'm glad," he said smiling. "I was a little nervous as Sano didn't really tell me anything you didn't like."_

"_That's probably because I'll eat anything," Kaoru laughed._

"_That's good to hear. It's always a relief when a woman has a healthy appetite." Kaoru felt herself relax upon seeing Kenshin's heart-warming smile yet again. His golden eyes had a mischievous glint in the dark as they headed towards his car. Kaoru felt her heart pound harder as she recognized the vehicle as a black Lamborghini. Sano hadn't been lying when he said Kenshin was wealthy._

_The ride to the restaurant was pleasant as Kaoru found herself opening up to Sano's friend quickly. He seemed genuinely interested in what she had to say, and he even made light jokes at his expense. _

"_How is it working with Sano?" Kenshin asked once they were seated at a beautiful table in one of the most prestigious restaurants in Tokyo. Kaoru had once heard that you had to make reservations months in advance in order to secure a table. However, her date had been set up that day, which meant that Kenshin was a very important person to have been able to secure a spot on such short notice._

_Kaoru shook her head, "It's…interesting. Although I must say that Sanoske is quite possibly one of the laziest people I have ever met."_

"_I don't think they come much lazier," Kenshin admitted._

"_He's really not good for anything!" Kaoru continued in frustration. "I keep getting into trouble with my boss because Sano refuses to help me with my case."_

"_Ah, but he is good at setting up blind dates."_

_Kaoru grinned, "Well, that's true. But I think it was pure luck on his part. I wouldn't call him to be matchmaker for any of my friends."_

"_Yes, that would probably be best."_

_Kaoru cocked her head at the redhead curiously, "So what is it that you do, Kenshin?"_

"_I'm sort of like a detective in my field," he replied vaguely. _

"_And what field is that?" Kaoru asked._

"_It's a little complicated."_

_Kaoru chose not to press the issue on the first date and commented, "I see it pays well, at least."_

_Kenshin smiled, though it seemed to have a sad note to it that Kaoru noticed was strange. "If you're the best at what you do, they tend to pay you well for it."_

"_I'm very curious as to what you are so skilled at," Kaoru continued, smiling flirtatiously._

_Kenshin, however, shook his head. "I don't want to bore you with the details of my occupation on our first date."_

_Kaoru pouted at his answer, causing Kenshin to laugh at her antics. "Perhaps another time." Her face immediately lit up both at the prospect of seeing Kenshin again and getting him to divulge more of his personal life._

_When it was getting late, they decided that it was time to call it a night. Kaoru was thankful that it was Friday night, which meant she wouldn't have to go to work the next day and could spend the time gushing to Misao and Megumi about how great her date was, which she found unexpected._

_Kenshin walked her to her door as the perfect gentleman and gave her a dazzling smile. "Thank you for trusting Sano despite the fact that your gut was telling you to say no to his matchmaking idea."_

_Kaoru laughed, "I have to say that I had very low expectations for this date, but I'm certainly glad I accepted."_

"_And what made you say yes?"_

"_Let's just say we made a little deal. It's a secret," Kaoru replied, giving him a wink and a knowing smile._

_The redhead stepped closer and gently lifted Kaoru's chin. "I think I approve of your methods," he spoke huskily an inch away from her awaiting lips. Kaoru felt his breath ghost across her lips, giving her goosebumps and a wave of pleasure in expectation. His lips curved into a smile as he brushed her lips with his own. Kaoru felt herself sigh at the contact, which he took as a cue to deepen the kiss. Just as Kaoru found herself getting lost in the passion, he drew away, leaving her begging for more. She opened her eyes as she felt the cold air cool her wet lips and saw Kenshin's amber eyes gazing at her, a smirk gracing his face. "Have a good night, Kaoru." He walked away gracefully, and Kaoru couldn't help but admire his smooth movements as he disappeared down the hallway. Unlocking her door, Kaoru threw herself into her apartment and wondered how on earth she was supposed to get any sleep after a kiss like that._

* * *

_The next day, Kaoru awoke to the shrill sound of her phone shrieking throughout her bedroom. She reached her arm over towards her nightstand from beneath the covers, hand roaming in search for her cell phone. She groped for the device and flipped it open, answering, "Hello?"_

"_Kaoru?" came the suspicious voice on the other line._

"_Oh, hey, Misao!" Kaoru said happily, sitting up in her bed suddenly awake._

"_Um, who are you and what did you do with my friend?"_

_Kaoru laughed and got out of bed, "What are you talking about?" She felt the cold air hit her skin as she shrugged off the sheets. Heading over to her closet, Kaoru reached for her blue satin robe, which she pulled on while holding her cell phone in one hand. She could hear Misao's voice even from the distance between the phone and her ear._

"_You're never this chipper in the morning. What happened to you? You're not drunk are you?"_

"_No!" Kaoru said, raising the phone back to her ear and heading towards the kitchen to prepare her morning coffee. "Actually, though, I had a date last night."_

_Kaoru instinctively held the phone away again at an arm's reach as she awaited the squeals that she knew were inevitable. She was not disappointed. A moment after she admitted her date, Misao erupted in hysterics. "Seriously, Kaoru? Who's the lucky guy? Where did you go? What did you do? Oh my god, I can't wait to tell Megumi. No, I'm going to call her, and we're coming over right now! Don't leave!"_

_Kaoru heard the dial tone on her phone, and she sighed contentedly. She smiled, knowing that Misao and Megumi were likely to arrive at her apartment within ten minutes. Turning back around, she filled her coffee maker with water and grinds before turning on the machine. She was listened the sound of the coffee begin to seep through the filter and drip into the glass container below. The aroma filled the air, and Kaoru felt that her day couldn't have started any better. As the first cup of java had filled the glass, Kaoru eagerly poured it into her awaiting mug. She took a sip of her steaming coffee and settled herself down at her kitchen table, propping her legs up._

_Her bliss was interrupted when loud pounding came at her door. Kaoru practically leapt up from her chair and she hurried to let her two friends in. Misao and Megumi came bursting in breathless. Misao was carrying three cups of coffee, in addition to a bag of pastries from the local bakery. "Hey, Kaoru, I just thought I'd bring some treats while you tell us all about your dreamy night."_

"_I can't believe you actually got a date. I never thought you'd have it in you," Megumi cooed as she took a seat at the kitchen table along with Misao. Kaoru was too happy to react to Megumi's comment and had a huge grin plastered on her face. _

"_So," Misao began slowly. "How'd you score this hot date? You're practically glowing right now."_

_Kaoru smiled and took a seat at the table along with her friends, reaching for her favorite blueberry muffin from the bag. "Well, actually it was a blind date."_

_Megumi laughed haughtily, "I knew you didn't have it in you. Who set you up if it wasn't us?"_

"_Um, actually it was Sagara Sanoske, my partner at the department," Kaoru admitted, shifting her feet on the floor nervously._

"_You trusted HIM__ to set you up with someone?" Misao asked incredulously. Kaoru was constantly complaining about Sano's lack of work ethic and how he probably only hung out with gamblers and drunkards. Kaoru nodded._

_Megumi stared at her friend for a moment before asking, "Wait, did you say _Sagara Sanoske?_ As in that idiot rooster head who's always getting himself into trouble?"_

_Kaoru turned to Megumi, pausing mid-sip. "Yeah, do you know him?"_

_Megumi huffed and tossed her hair over her shoulder with her right hand. Then crossing her arms, she continued, "He's always getting into fights and comes into the clinic in the morning to get fixed up for free. The nerve of that guy!"_

"_So that's where he always is in the morning," Kaoru said to herself in wonder. She had always assumed he was just hungover, but apparently he was getting stitched up…but that wasn't much better._

"_Honestly, I don't know what he's doing all the time," Megumi finished with another hair flip._

_Misao glanced at Megumi for a moment to see if she was finished complaining about Sano before turning back to the glowing Kaoru. "Okay, so why did he set you up on a blind date? From what you've said about him, it doesn't really seem like he'd go out of his way to play matchmaker."_

"_Well," Kaoru started. "I made a deal with him. He wanted me to go out with one of his friends, and in return, he has to help out with the next lead we get on the case."_

"_The Battousai case?" Misao asked._

_Kaoru nodded, taking a bite of her muffin. "That's the one. I figured it was the only way to get him to actually do something for once. He's not exactly a stellar worker, you know."_

"_Well, _that's_ an understatement," Megumi muttered, rolling her eyes._

_Misao ignored Megumi's comment and continued with the interrogation. "Okay, so who was this guy then?"_

_Kaoru blushed furiously, "Well, he wasn't at all like the kind of guy I expected one of Sanoske's friends to be like. He's successful, doesn't gamble, and was the perfect gentleman. Not to mention gorgeous." Kaoru began giggling giddily, along with Misao. Megumi was finally over pouting about Sano's incompetence and sat up straighter in her seat with peaked interest in Kaoru's new beau. It wasn't often that Kaoru was so smitten with a guy, meaning that this was surely someone special._

"_What's this hunk's name then?" Megumi asked. "No offense, but I have my doubts if he's friends with the rooster."_

"_Kenshin. Himura Kenshin."_

_Megumi choked on her coffee. "Let me guess. Long red hair that feels like silk in your fingers, amber eyes that seem to peer deep into your soul, and a rock hard perfectly chiseled chest and abdomen?"_

_Kaoru gaped at Megumi, "H-How'd you know?" Megumi shrugged and smiled mischievously. "And how did you know he has a 'perfectly chiseled chest and abdomen.'"_

"_And how would _you_ know?" Megumi asked, smirking._

_Kaoru felt the blush creeping back to her cheeks. "I…well, okay, I don't know that for sure. I just kinda assumed…"_

"_Oh, well, he does so don't worry," Megumi giggled coyly._

_Misao put her hands on her hips and looked at Megumi accusingly, "And how exactly do you know all this about this Kenshin guy's physique?"_

"_Oh, I know a lot about his physique."_

"_How?" Kaoru asked angrily, standing up from her chair. She felt rage boiling inside her. Her day had been so perfect until this. She thought Kenshin was going to be the man of her dreams. He had been perfect in every way, and now here was one of her best friends talking about how she had seen most of his bare body parts. It was unbelievable._

"_Oh sit down, Kaoru, it's not what you think. I just like getting a rise out of you," Megumi laughed, motioning for Kaoru to sit back in her chair._

"_Then explain yourself, Megumi," Misao said sternly, noticing Kaoru's exasperated expression._

"_Well, as you are aware, I am a med student, and as such, I must tend to the medical needs of others," Megumi stated matter-of-factly._

_Both Misao and Kaoru rolled their eyes are her obvious statement. "Hurry up," Misao muttered, making a motion that signaled Megumi to speed up her explanation._

_Megumi ignored Misao's wild movements and continued, "So sometimes the rooster head comes in to get fixed up, and if I'm lucky, the hunky redhead needs a little fixing himself."_

"_Kenshin? He gets injured? Couldn't he go somewhere better?" Kaoru asked without thinking._

_Megumi quirked an eyebrow at her. "Are you suggesting that I am not a good doctor?"_

"_No, it's not that. But Kenshin has a lot of money. He drives a Lamborghini for god's sake! Wouldn't he go to an actu—"_

"_An actual doctor?" Megumi finished for her. "When he and Sanoske come in, they usually have injuries that would most likely spark a lot of questions. They come to me because we have an unspoken agreement. I treat them without question, and their absurd wounds give me some great experience. Besides, Kenshin is such a gentleman, and I enjoy his company in place of that rooster head for a change."_

"_What kinds of injuries does he get?" Misao asked curiously._

"_That's confidential," Megumi replied._

"_I wonder what he does," Misao murmured thoughtfully. Her brows furrowed as she munched on a cheese Danish, looking off towards the corner of the kitchen deep in thought. Then she eyed Kaoru, who looked equally thoughtful. "Do you know what he does, Kaoru?"_

_Kaoru snapped to attention and sighed, shaking her head. "No idea actually. I asked last night but he just said he was that he was 'like a detective in his field.' He said it was complicated and would be better saved for another time."_

"_That's a little weird, don't you think?" Misao asked._

_Kaoru shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe he just doesn't like his job and didn't want to talk about it. The only thing I do know is that he's very good at whatever he does. He gets paid really well for it."_

"_I got the feeling he and the rooster head work together actually," Megumi added, taking a sip of her coffee nonchalantly. Two heads turned to stare at her. When the med student looked back up, she noticed their shocked looks and frowned. "I thought that was obvious."_

"_But Sano works for the department with Kaoru," Misao said slowly._

"_He has two jobs then."_

"_How are you so sure, Megumi?" Kaoru questioned._

_Megumi took a deep breath and shifted her position so she was more comfortable in her chair. "Well for starters, they tend to get similar injuries, although Ken-san's are generally more abnormal, suggesting they aren't from a mere bar fight. Also, half the time the idiot rooster starts to say something about the previous night, but he's quickly shuts up by a sharp look from Ken-san. He's quite the blabbermouth," Megumi finished, referring to Sano._

"_Maybe Sanoske was just going to say something stupid about getting drunk and hitting on girls," Kaoru suggested, although not too keen on the idea._

_But Megumi shook her head. "No, it was definitely more serious than that. I can't explain it. It was just the vibe I got."_

"_Okay, well, Kaoru can figure that out later," Misao interrupted, deciding to change the subject. "So is Kenshin going to call you today?" _

"_I don't think today because he said he had a lot of work to do…meetings or something. I'm not sure exactly; he was rather vague," Kaoru responded. She had been disappointed when he mentioned being busy the next day, but he had reassured her that he would contact her on Sunday. His reasons had been very difficult to decipher. But honestly, any question that Kaoru asked about his personal life had been rather fuzzy. _

"_He probably just didn't want to get too deep on the first date," Misao said. "It's a shame you won't get to see him again until Sunday though."_

_Kaoru banged her head on the table and groaned, "I know. I couldn't sleep last night because I couldn't stop thinking about him. I think I'm in for another sleepless night tonight, too. And I'm dreading seeing Sano's grinning face on Monday when he asks about how it went."_

"_Well, even if Sano taunts you for actually falling for one of his friends, at least you're still the winner. I mean, if you get to go out with a stud like Kenshin…"_

_Kaoru giggled, "Good point."_

* * *

_Kaoru was thrilled when Kenshin called her on Sunday. He called rather early to see if she wanted to get coffee with him, to which Kaoru readily agreed. Their conversation was lighthearted, and Kaoru resisted the temptation to ask more about his job. He continued to be rather vague, giving Kaoru the feeling he didn't want to talk about it much. He was much more interested in what she had to say. The coffee date was ended with a kiss just as heated as the first one, and Kaoru idly wondered how she would handle anything more when a simple kiss made her legs turn to jelly._

_As expected, Sano was grinning when he met her, but his taunting was toned down much more than Kaoru predicted. In fact, he seemed more relieved than anything, as if he wasn't sure if either Kaoru would approve of Kenshin or if Kenshin would accept her. Whatever his concerns, they were clearly not needed._

_As the week continued, Kaoru found herself having dinner or lunch with Kenshin on several occasions. He even cooked dinner for her on Thursday, and she was shocked to learn that he was an excellent cook. Of course, in her book, anyone who could boil water was a five-star chef. She failed even in that department. Making coffee in the morning was the extent of her skills in the kitchen._

_When Saturday night came around, Kaoru was disappointed to hear that Kenshin would again be busy. He mumbled something about meetings again, and he had given her a regretful smile saying he would much rather spend time with her. Kaoru figured that it would be for the best anyway, as she intended to follow her lead on the Battousai case. A part of her, however, had hoped she would be able to ignore it in favor of a candlelit dinner with a certain redhead. She was definitely bummed she wouldn't see him._

_That night, she began preparing herself to follow the lead. The lead suggested that the Battousai had a job in an area across town from Kaoru's apartment. She planned to take a taxi within a few blocks of the suspected location and walk the rest of the way. Dressing in a loose pair of dark jeans, a navy sweatshirt, and comfortable sneakers, Kaoru pulled back her hair and did a few stretches to relax her nerves. Her gut was telling her that this was a terrible idea, but her curiosity and determination to finally get some answers got the best of her. Her game plan wasn't to catch the Battousai, as she knew she had no skills that could match him. However, a glimpse of him or at least some form of identification would at least make her feel somewhat successful._

_At 9pm, it was already dark outside, and she headed out of her apartment to call for a taxi. She was able to call one quickly, and she fidgeted endlessly the whole ride across town. It only took about twenty minutes to reach her destination. Stepping out of the safety of the cab, Kaoru found herself growing wary of her surroundings. It was dark, and there were very few others on the darkened streets. The streetlights above her were dim, and a few of them had burnt out, yet to be replaced. The whole are was in disrepair. The few shops that were still in business were covered in graffiti. Broken bottles and trash littered the sidewalks, and the distinct smell of bile and alcohol wafted through the foul air. Despite having showered less than two hours prior, Kaoru already felt dirty._

_ She only made it two blocks towards her destination before she heard loud footsteps coming from behind. As she quickened her pace, so did the footsteps. She turned around to see a burly looking man heading towards her. He was carrying an empty liquor bottle in his left hand and wore clothing that had once seen better days. His hair was unruly, and his face was unshaven. Kaoru immediately began to sprint down the street in an effort to escape the man. He shouted after her and broke out into a rather pathetic run of his own. Kaoru turned to the right to run into a dark alley and hid behind a pile of trash, hoping her pursuer would forget about her. Unfortunately, he came to a stop in front of the alley and began to walk inside. _

_ Kaoru held her breath as she watched him in the shadows. The man then let out a loud whistle, which came as a surprise to Kaoru. Four men from deeper within the alley appeared, and Kaoru's eyes widened in fright as she realized that this was a gang – a gang that this man was apparently a part of. The burly man smashed his liquor bottle on the wall, breaking the bottom half off._

_ "Hey, boys," he sneered. "We have a little lady in our midst. She's quite a pretty little thing, and I believe she's hiding in here somewhere."_

_ The other four men immediately grew excited, and Kaoru felt the panic rise within her. They were going to find her, and she didn't want to think about what was going to happen then. One of the men walked near the trash pile and took an obnoxious sniff in the nasty air. He smiled, "I can smell jasmine. A peculiar scent to be lingering near a pile of shit."_

_ Kaoru's heart stopped, and before she could move, a rough hand reached down and grabbed her arm. She shrieked and tried to hit the man with her free hand, but her efforts were of no use. The man simply threw his head back and laughed with his companions. "A feisty one. I like it!"_

_ "Let me go!" Kaoru screamed, thrashing wildly. Unfortunately, the man's hold only grew tighter._

_ "Don't struggle so much. Your screams won't be heard anyway," said the burly man, walking towards her. She was now being held firmly by both arms, and her resistance was proving hopeless. The man touched her chin with the sharp end of the broken liquor bottle and smirked, lifting her head up towards him. Kaoru shot him her most venomous glare and tried her best not to cringe at his rancid breath._

_ "Let me go," she repeated, trying to outwardly sound strong despite her withering spirit. However, she was angry at these men for several reasons. Firstly, they had the gall to capture her in a dark alley and corner her like cowards. And secondly, they were preventing her from following her lead and carrying out her original mission._

_ The burly man continued to ignore her command, finding her tenacity particularly amusing. "So who wants to taste her first?" he asked, looking at the other four men. Kaoru could hear them snickering, and she felt one of the hands on her arm start moving. She closed her eyes and held her breath, desperately wishing she were just stuck in a nightmare. _

_ Suddenly she heard a gurgle and a voice cut through the darkness, "I don't think that's a good idea." Kaoru felt the hand freeze before she was released. She fell to the ground, surprised at the men's reactions. Just as she was beginning to catch her breath, she heard the men's shuffling footsteps as they grouped together and turned towards the darkest part of the alley. Kaoru scrambled to her feet and watched, hoping to get a glimpse of her savior. Only four men were standing, and Kaoru could barely make out a limp form sprawled on the ground. A dark liquid was seeping from his body, and Kaoru fought the urge to vomit as she realized it was blood._

_ "I didn't think you usually resorted to kidnapping innocent women to suit your primal needs. Are you really that pathetic?" the icy voice continued._

_ "Don't talk to _me_ about morality, Battousai," the man spat. Kaoru felt her heart stopped as soon as she heard the name. This was the criminal she had been investigated for so long. He was there before her in the darkness. She couldn't see him, but his voice chilled her to the bone. It was the infamous criminal who put fear into the hearts of even the cruelest men. Yet he was here saving her? Was he really a savior or would she soon be delivered into even worse hands?_

_ "Let her go," Battousai replied coldly._

_ The burly man shifted nervously, "We were just having some fun."_

_ "That's about to end."_

_ All Kaoru could see was a flint of metal flash through the air before three of the men were cut down by what appeared to be a sword. She could barely blink before it was all over. A dark figure now loomed in front of the burly man, who had dropped his broken liquor bottle. _

_ "P-Please, I promise never to do it again."_

_ The figure moved the blade towards his face and turned it so that it caught the moonlight. Kaoru watched amber eyes blaze in the brief light, and she could've sworn that she saw a flash of red. She wasn't sure if it was from blood or something else. Battousai took a step forward, "I recall you saying that once before."_

_ The man sneered, "Yes, but I remember that little lady worked out quite well for you."_

_ Something in Battousai snapped, and the blade moved with godlike speed, beheading the burly man in one clean sweep. Kaoru watched in horror as the body of the man crumpled to the ground. The gore got the best of her, and she felt blood rush to her head as she fell forward into a dark figure's awaiting arms. Her whispered name and a lock of red hair falling into her vision were the last two things she remembered before losing consciousness._

_** --End Flashback--**_


	6. Kyoto

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin...unfortunately.

**A/N:** I'm sorry it took me so long to update! I have several chapters already written, but for some reason I just didn't want to update quite yet as if I was going to change something...even though I totally didn't. Anyway, I hope you enjoy. There's some more flashbacks, and I'm sorry everything is so slow but you'll just have to be patient!

**Reviews:**

Reignashii: Saito is quite an odd character, isn't he?

LimeGrass: Omg, that kills me! I can't imagine the horrible first dates that would be set up...

reader: I'm glad that Saito is such a hit. I love his character in the anime and manga because he's so sarcastic and cynical. I am a big fan of banter if you can't already tell.

kokoronagamu: Kaoru is quite the curious young woman. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait for that particular flashback until later!

Kao-Misao1728: Haha I love your review. It made me laugh out loud and got a weird look from my roommate...I honestly don't know why it took me so long to post the new chapter since it has been written for months...forgive me!

Icy: Thanks! I'm glad they're being read. I guess it's just sad that so many stories have hundreds of reviews, and I am barely in the double digits! Oh well, I'll stay strong, and thank you!

Brukaoru: Thank you so much. I love writing and almost majored in it in college...but chemistry got the better of me. Don't know why...chemicals really are not that thrilling.

Arcane tidbit: Hmmm you are a curious one! Sadly, your questions won't be answered in this chapter, but I promise that they will be soon...I've already written about it actually since I have several more chapters done already, but I'm not giving it away just yet because I am evil. Enjoy!

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**Chapter 6: Kyoto**

Kaoru awoke with a start when she felt the train come to a sudden stop. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes groggily and squinted in the light to see Sano in his still panicked position, gripping the seats. She smiled and shook her head before turning to look out the window. Her dream surprised her. It had been so long since she had dreamed of her first date with Kenshin, as well as the night she discovered more than she ever wanted to about the infamous Battousai. She could still remember his concerned face when she awoke in his apartment.

Kaoru wasn't sure why she accepted the truth about Kenshin. Maybe it was that she was desperate to have a boyfriend or her hormones were getting the best of her. Perhaps she was just grateful for him saving her life or maybe a part of her wanted to explore the dark side. Whatever her reason, she found it within herself to overlook Kenshin's secret…granted it took some convincing on Sano's part and a few more run-ins with Battousai for Kaoru to realize that he wasn't just some evil, sadistic assassin that the media made him out to be. But once she made the decision to stay with the redhead, she never regretted it. Kaoru shook her head, pushing the memories aside. She wasn't ready to think about it just yet.

A rush of people swept past her as they began to leave the train. Sano was finally relaxing when he realized that the train had stopped for good and they had reached their destination unscathed. Standing up, Kaoru beckoned Sano to follow her. "We're here, so we should probably get off…unless you want to go for another ride." Kaoru laughed as Sano visibly paled at her comment and practically ran for the exit.

"Okay, so what do we do now?" Kaoru asked as she casually stepped off the train with a small rolling suitcase. She had a small navy duffle bag slung over her shoulder that she threw over to a much more relaxed Sano.

"Thanks," he muttered, half grateful and half embarrassed that he had been too preoccupied to get off the train that he had neglected his luggage.

"So?" Kaoru pressed, looking to her partner in earnest.

"Huh?" Sano asked, seemingly noticing Kaoru for the first time.

"What are we doing now?" Kaoru asked slowly, stressing each word as if talking to a five year old.

"Oh, right," Sano replied, scratching his head sheepishly. "First things first, we should check into an inn. We'll need a room for a while."

"You mean two rooms?"

"Well, see, the department only gave me enough money for one room, and I'll need to be able to keep an eye on you anyway, so—."

"I'm not going to be in danger being in my own room, Sanoske," Kaoru said sternly.

"I beg to differ," Sano said, shaking his head. "Given who your, uh, boyfriend is, I think that makes you a target…especially here in Kyoto."

"EX-boyfriend," Kaoru corrected.

"Yeah, whatever helps you sleep at night," Sano shrugged. "Now, you'll have your own bed and plenty of personal space, so get over the whole room thing. Once we check in, we can have a look around and get familiar with the city. You've never been here before, right?"

Kaoru nodded stiffly, still fuming about Sano's first comment.

"Alright then. Let's get going." Sano started heading down the street, an angry Kaoru following closely behind.

They checked into a reasonably priced hotel near the heart of the city. Kaoru was surprised that Kyoto was not so different from Tokyo. They were both metropolitan cities, crowded with a variety of different people. The main difference was the pattern of the streets…or lack of any. The alleys seemed to divert in random directions, and with the exception of the major streets, none of them ran in parallel or perpendicular directions. It was just a network of random paths that made absolutely no sense to Kaoru whatsoever. She had no idea how Kenshin was a notorious expert of the ridiculous layout. Clearly she was going to need to stick close to Sano if she had any hopes of not getting horribly lost in the side streets.

"Okay, so where should we start?" Kaoru asked, turning to Sano as they stood outside a nearby café.

"I figured we'd go to the station first. I think Saito is meeting us here."

"What?" Kaoru shrieked, eyes widening in horror. "I thought I had escaped that madman."

Sano shook his head, "I wish."

"Sano, if Saito came all the way to Kyoto, then what kind of case are we working on? I mean, this is a big deal, isn't it?"

Sano shifted nervously on his feet at Kaoru's questions. She turned, hands on her hips, and gave him a stern look, further increasing his nerves until he cracked. "Okay, yes, it's a really important case. Saito wants to make sure it's done right."

"Then why'd he put _me_ on the case again? I'm not a very good detective, and he knows that. I barely have any experience."

Sano's face paled and he desperately searched for a way to change the subject. Kaoru was staring at the ground in concentration when Sano said abruptly, "Well, I think the station is this way, so we'd better get going." He started pulling Kaoru down the street before she could protest.

It only took about ten minutes to reach their destination. The station in Kyoto was much larger than the one in Tokyo. It was a huge, red brick building with hundreds of tinted windows. Kaoru couldn't help but wonder just how many departments were stationed in this building – departments that she had probably never heard of nor ever would. The main entrance to the building was a set of two huge glass doors flanked by two additional smaller doors on each side. A series of marble steps led to the entrance, and Kaoru couldn't take her eyes off the engraved writing above as her legs moved beneath her. She wasn't sure why she was so mesmerized by the simple inscription. _Ashimoto ni ki o tsukenasai. _("Watch your step.") They were such foreboding words and even unnerved Kaoru, who had nothing to fear from the law.

She couldn't help but wonder what Kyoto citizens felt as they passed this building. The building stood out against the other simple commerce buildings surrounding the station. Its mixture of both complexity and simple structure seemed to stand out as a beacon of hope along the crime-ridden streets. It signified the country's efforts to bring about peace and was a warning to criminals. The engraving spoke directly to law-breakers, telling them that they would soon be behind bars. But Kaoru found little consolation as she moved up the marble steps. The department hadn't done much so far, and Kaoru sometimes felt as though Kenshin had done more to clean the streets than any police officer. Yet he was a criminal and a supposed threat to society himself – a living, walking, breathing contradiction.

Kaoru could remember the night Tokio, Saito's wife, had asked her to come to dinner at their house with her "boyfriend." She tried to decline but failed to find a respectful way to do so and ended up having to concede. As soon as Saito had found out about the dinner arrangement, he proceeded to make snide comments about what kind of man could have fallen for a stubborn tanuki such as herself. Kaoru worried all day about the dinner plans for that night, but Kenshin had seemed perfectly fine with it when she broke the news to him. Actually, he seemed to be looking forward to it. But nothing had prepared Kaoru for one of the strangest nights of her life.

* * *

**--Flashback--**

_"Why are you fidgeting so much?" Kenshin asked amusedly, watching Kaoru repeatedly fix her dress and hair as the couple walked up to the house._

_ "You _know_ why," Kaoru hissed. She couldn't believe she was taking the Battousai to dinner at the police chief's house. This was unbelievable, and it would have been comical if it had been a movie. Unfortunately, this was real life, and the man that Kaoru was supposed to be putting in jail was her boyfriend. Kaoru's life, and possibly her freedom, was on the line. "How are you not worried about this?"_

_ The redhead shrugged, "I'm a master of disguise. Don't worry, Saito isn't going to arrest me."_

_ Kaoru shook her head, not understanding his relaxed manner. It didn't make any sense to her why he didn't seem to have a care in the world. Why wasn't he worried about being found out?_

_ When they reached the doorstep, Kenshin promptly pushed the doorbell before Kaoru could stop him. She felt her heart stop as the door opened to reveal a messy Tokio. The woman was wiping flour-covered hands on a crisp white apron. She smiled brightly as she greeted them, "Well hello, Kaoru! This must be your boyfriend?"_

_ "Hi, Tokio," Kaoru answered, finally catching her breath. "Yes, this is Himura Kenshin. Kenshin, this is Hajime Tokio."_

_ Kenshin bowed elegantly. "Pleased to meet you, Hajime-san."_

_ "Oh! Please call me Tokio," the woman blushed. "Do come in. Saito is just in the living room."_

_ Kaoru nodded and flashed Kenshin a nervous glance before stepping inside. The redhead wasn't paying any attention to her, however, as they stepped inside the humble home. He was preoccupied with looking at the man who stood before them in the carpeted living room. A circle of smoke was around him as he stared at them. But a closer look at her boss told Kaoru that he wasn't really looking at them but rather Kenshin. It was a mixture of shock, disdain, and…was that, recognition? All of her nerves came flooding back, and Kaoru felt her limbs grow heavy. She was doomed; her boss knew. She didn't know how, but he had to know who Kenshin was. But no one was supposed to know what Battousai looked like, right? _

_ Kenshin, however, stood casually, leaning against the pillar by the entrance to the room. "You must be Saito," he said with a smirk. "How nice to meet Kaoru's boss. I've heard so much about you."_

_ "Pleasure," Saito replied through clenched teeth. The tension in the room was incredible, and Kaoru looked frantically between the two men. One appeared to be seething with anger, while the other stood nonchalantly with his hands in his pockets._

_ "Do…you two know each other?" Kaoru asked, afraid of what the answer could be._

_ "Of course not," Kenshin replied, taking his right hand out of his pocket and wrapping it around Kaoru's waist. His answer was so calm and sounded so honest that Kaoru found it difficult not to believe him. But one look at her boss reaffirmed her doubts. The stony expression that was adorning Saito's face betrayed Kenshin's answer dramatically._

_ "Um, okay," Kaoru said, clearly unsure._

_ Finally Saito spoke, cutting the tension in the room. "I believe Tokio may need your help in the kitchen, Kamiya," he said, still glaring at her redheaded boyfriend._

_ Kaoru looked at him strangely before beginning to turn around to do as she was told. Kenshin's grip on her waist tightened and he commented, "If you don't want your house to burn down, then I would suggest keeping Kaoru as far away from the kitchen as possible."_

_ "I think Kaoru's lack of cooking skills is the least of our worries," Saito sneered. There was a long moment of silence, and Kaoru was sure a fight was about to break out until Kenshin sighed._

_ "Try not to break anything," Kenshin whispered in Kaoru's ear, winking at her as he loosened his grip and placed a chaste kiss on her forehead. Kaoru looked at him worriedly before nodding and heading towards the kitchen. She crossed her fingers and prayed that nothing was going to happen._

_ Fortunately, the evening continued without any violence. There were the occasional comments that slipped out of either Kenshin or Saito's mouths that only further confused her about the two men's relationship, but nothing was blatantly said, leaving her in pure bewilderment. Kenshin repeatedly made snide comments about the police force's inability to do their job, and Saito ceaselessly commented on Kenshin's lack of subtlety. Both Kaoru and Tokio gave each other looks that told the other that they had no idea what was going on. The men seemed to be speaking in some bizarre code that neither woman could crack. The last thing Saito said to them before they walked off the front porch was, "Watch your step." _

**--End Flashback--**

* * *

Kaoru hadn't really thought much about it at the time. She and Kenshin were walking out onto the porch, so Kaoru had taken the three words to be literal. However, now as she stood on the steps leading to the Kyoto Police Department, she realized what Saito was saying. Maybe after all he had been hinting that Kenshin was going to get caught. Yet, Saito continued to only pretend to be _trying_ to catch the infamous criminal.

Kaoru was pulled from her thoughts, however, as Sano grabbed her arm. "Oi, Jou-chan. What are you doing?'

Karou quickly realized that she had been standing and reminiscing for quite a while. She pushed passed her partner and muttered a quick apology before walking through the double doors.

If Kaoru wasn't overwhelmed by the outside of the police station, she certainly was now. The entrance room had a vaulted ceiling, and every sound could be heard echoed throughout the room. The floor and walls were covered in gold marble, and Kaoru felt herself whirling around in awe. Her admiration was cut short as Sano caught up to her and began leading her past the front desk towards the elevator. "Saito's office is on the fifth floor," he said. It took only a few minutes for the elevator to open and the pair to reach the fifth floor in no time. They reached it in silence, but once the door opened, Kaoru was amazed at the flurry of activity that the doors revealed. It wasn't very much different to the department that she was used to but just bigger in size. At the end of the hall, Kaoru could make out the familiar haze of smoke. She groaned as Sano began steering her in that direction.

"Why does he have an office here, too?" Kaoru complained as she made her way towards the room.

"He's not just a chief in Tokyo. His skills have made him important to operations throughout Japan, so he needed an office in each of Japan's biggest cities. Unfortunately, that means we can't escape him. No one can," Sano answered.

"I can think of one person who can," Kaoru commented, thinking of Kenshin.

"That's different."

"Whatever," she muttered, reluctantly pushing open Saito's door without knocking. Her abruptness rewarded her with a sudden stir. Kaoru could have sworn she saw a flash of red disappear through the open window in the corner of Saito's dim office. She stared in the direction of the window, brows furrowed in confusion. She could have sworn she had just seen…no, there was no way anyone could have just leaped out a fifth story window…

"What's wrong with your face, Kamiya?" Saito sneered, drawing a long drag of his cigarette.

"I thought I just saw," she started before quickly shaking her head at the ridiculousness of the thought. "Why is your window open?" she asked suddenly.

"Ventilation," Saito responded, standing up and walking toward the source of Kaoru's confusion.

"You don't seem like the type to dislike having smoke in your office," Kaoru said suspiciously.

Saito closed the window before turning back to Kaoru, "If you'd rather me leave it closed, then I will, of course, oblige."

Kaoru turned to Sano for answers, but he seemed to be staring at the window with a look of shock across his face. His expression made her quickly wonder if maybe the flash of red hadn't been her imagination after all. But before she could say anything, Saito spoke again, "Now, once you're done complaining about fresh air, we have business to attend to."

If Saito had been trying to draw Kaoru's attention to whether or not Kenshin had just been in the office, he succeeded. Kaoru immediately huffed and sat in one of the leather chairs on the other side of Saito's desk. "Fine."

Sano followed suit and sat next to her. "So, Saito, what do you have for us?" he asked, leaning back in the chair. "Wow, these are comfortable." Sano began admiring the woodwork and plush red leather of the seat much to Saito's distaste. "Where'd you get these?"

Saito quirked an eyebrow and ignored the question. "When the two of you are done fiddling around with the décor and atmosphere of my office, please don't hesitate to let me know," Saito said, walking back to his own chair and sitting down.

Kaoru rolled her eyes and slapped Sano's arm, getting his attention. "Oh, right," Sano murmured, straightening himself. "You were saying?"

"According to some of our more reliable sources, Shishio was sighted on the outskirts of Kyoto last night. I need the two of you to investigate it."

"Us?" Kaoru asked in surprise.

Saito turned to her and quirked an eyebrow. "I believe that was the case I put you on."

"Well, yes, but isn't Shishio really dangerous? I thought you only needed us to find his location," Kaoru continued nervously.

"And we don't know his location yet, so you have not completed your job."

"I really don't think I should bring Jou-chan," Sano interjected.

"And why is that?" Saito asked, turning to the ruffian.

"Don't you think that's asking for trouble?" Sano hissed, glancing at Kaoru nervously.

There was a long moment of silence before anyone spoke. Kaoru noticed Saito take a deep breath, clearly weighing whatever implication was behind Sano's words. "Okay fine," he said finally. "You two should go investigate the red light district and see what information you can uncover there instead. I'll leave the more direct investigation of Shishio to a more experienced…personnel."

Sano and Kaoru nodded. "Jou-chan, can you excuse us for a moment?"

"Sano," Kaoru said sternly. "I'm just as much involved in this case as you are."

"It's not about the case," he replied seriously. It was so rare that Kaoru saw the sober side of Sano that she reluctantly complied and left the office.

"What do you think you're doing, Saito?" Sano asked angrily after being sure that Kaoru was gone.

Saito ignored the anger behind Sano's voice and grunted, "I don't know what you mean."

"You were trying to put us in the same situation as Kenshin and you know it. I know that was him jumping out of your office before we came in."

"I'm always surprised when you are actually observant for a change. Perhaps it's those rare moments that keeps you as a valuable member of my team."

"Why were you going to do that? That would completely screw up the operation," Sano continued, trying not to let Saito's penchant for insults make him change the subject. "I know that Kenshin is going to be there tonight, and putting Kaoru in that danger would only make him forget his job and try to protect her instead."

"That's what you think," Saito smirked.

"I know Kenshin, and that is exactly what he would do."

"Are you so sure?"

"What do you mean?" Sano asked suspiciously.

Saito shrugged, "There are some in the department who would presume otherwise."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that your friend, Battousai, is going to be in the same danger as Shishio if he isn't careful. You think he'd forget his mission and go after the girl?"

"He'd drop everything for Jou-chan, even his life," Sano said angrily.

"Most likely. But the Battousai has been rather unpredictable lately."

"In what way?"

"Abruptly leaving Kamiya for one."

"He left for her own protection. Or at least, he thought it was a way to protect her," Sano argued.

"I'm aware of his masochistic reasoning, but the fate of the hitokiri is not up to me. Others do not have such faith in him, and if for some reason, he allowed the girl to die, then I assure you that the government would have no qualms about pulling the trigger."

"I see," Sano said quietly. "So it's a test."

"If that's how you see it."

"Then why were so you so quick to agree with me earlier and let Kaoru and I off the hook?"

"Because the matter with Shishio must be dealt with first. The question of Battousai's sanity and competency is a matter that can be delayed. Personally, I do not believe he is either a threat to society or the government. He's only detrimental to his own person and that of the Kamiya girl." Saito swiveled in his chair and looked out the window. "I'm expecting you to make sure the idiot stays in check."

Sano sighed deeply and shook his head. "I never thought this would happen."

Saito turned back around and eyed Sano critically. "The government was playing with fire when they initially decided to create a position such as Battousai's, and it is their stupidity and arrogance that has led to this dilemma, not his. However, that being said, if he isn't more careful, then his success and focus on that career of his will be his downfall."

"So what, he'd only be safe if he failed once in a while?" Sano asked, knowing the ridiculousness of the question.

"No, don't be stupid," Saito said firmly. "But it's a lose-lose situation. He sealed his fate when he took the job in the first place."

Sano snapped, "They got him when he was a fucking fourteen year old! You can't criticize him for being a naive kid!"

Just then the door creaked open, and Kaoru's head poked in, surprised from hearing incoherent, muffled yells from the two men. "Sorry, am I interrupting something?" she asked. She hadn't been able to make out any of their conversation, but she was getting impatient waiting outside while they continued bickering about who knows what.

"No, this conversation was just ending," Saito said flatly, giving a pointed look at Sano. Sano's jaw clenched, and he was forced to take a deep breath to calm himself.

"Fine," he said in frustration. "But this isn't over. And you're a fucking bastard, just so you know."

Sano stormed over to the door, and Kaoru opened it wider so that Sano could pass through. Just as Sano reached the doorway, Saito stood and added sharply, "Sagara." When the ruffian paused at the door, Saito continued vaguely, "We have already discussed it. He knows his fate."

"Does he have a plan?"

"I've suggested one, but he doesn't seem to care much for it. I get the feeling that the situation bothers everyone else more than it does him."

"That's absurd. You can do something about, but you're too much of an arrogant asshole."

Saito fixed one of the most furious glares Kaoru had ever seen her boss give, and he stepped forward, smoke following his seething form. "I have done everything within my power. Do not criticize me when it's _your_ friend who is so willing to throw his life away."

The two men stared each other down. "It isn't appropriate to have an audience in private conversations. Go do your job," Saito finished, closing the door on the two.

Outside the office, Kaoru gave Sano a questioning look. When Sano began stalking down the hallway, she remained rooted in her spot. "It's about Kenshin, isn't it?" she said quietly, more as a statement than a question.

Sano stopped and closed his eyes. "This isn't the time or place to discuss it, Kaoru." He continued walking towards the elevator, not waiting for Kaoru to follow him. She recognized the stern tone in his voice and the use of her real name. Sano meant business, and he clearly wasn't going to talk to her about the discussion. Deciding to wait until later or a more appropriate time, she followed after him, trying desperately to keep her wild thoughts from plaguing her mind too much. As she entered the elevator, she turned to look back at Saito's office once more. Worry was etched in her features as she watched her boss lean back in his chair, the window open once again. His mouth was moving as though he were speaking to someone.

Just before the elevator fully closed, Kaoru's eyes shifted to the dark corner of Saito's room that could barely be seen through one of the thin windows on the side of the door to his office. She felt her breath hitch in her throat as amber eyes suddenly locked onto hers and a flash of red caught the light.

"Kenshin!" she screamed as she made a move forward. But it was too late. Strong arms pulled her back, and the doors closed.

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**A/N: **I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and sorry for yet another cliff hanger...Well, I'm not _really _sorry because it always makes for a good stopping point but don't kill me! I promise an update much sooner than this one took! And please review...thanks!


	7. Twisted Plots

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

**A/N:** I think I still have another 30 pages or so saved on a word document, and there's a lot more twists that I have in store. This is going to be a very long story because, while I have everything generally outlined, it's not even halfway posted. Sooo I hope you're enjoying it, and I will be sure to edit the next chapter sooner rather than later so that you aren't held in suspense for an obnoxiously long period of time. And please review and send me your feedback! It's very much appreciated, and I will take it all into account! I only got two for the last chapter :(

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Chapter 7: Twisted Plots **

Kaoru felt like her whole world was falling apart…again. She thought she was slowly starting to feel better after Kenshin had left her, and she had been thoroughly convinced that the flashes of red she saw were just her imagination. But the amber eyes and red hair that she saw in Saito's office as the elevator closed was not in her mind. Sano had pulled her back before could throw herself through the closing elevator doors…not that she could have fit through the three inch closing gap anyway. He held her as the sobs ripped through her throat, and he comforted her as he carried her back to their hotel room a few blocks away. She didn't even remember the trip back and only vaguely recalled being put in a hot shower. When she felt herself slowly reawaken from the steam, she slowly finished the task of washing her hair and body. Stepping out of the warm bathroom, she checked the clock and was shocked to find that several hours had already gone by since she and Sano had first stepped in Saito's office. Shaking her head, she ignored the worried look that she felt coming from Sano's side of the room and continued to get ready in silence.

"Are you sure you're okay to do this tonight, Jou-chan?" Sano finally asked, watching her from the corner of their room. She was just putting the finishing touches on her raven hair. They were heading out to the red light district in Kyoto, which meant that Kaoru needed to look the part. For the sake of simplicity, she was wearing the same outfit she had donned on her and Sano's last bar hop experience. She finished curling the last lock of her long hair and sprayed a bit of jasmine perfume.

"I'm ready," she replied, turning to her partner. She stood before him proudly. "I'm going to do my job. It's what I came here to do after all."

"Whatever you say," Sano replied, shrugging his shoulders. He knew Kaoru was still hurting, but she was a stubborn girl and prodding her would only make her angry. "Let's get going then. It's gonna be a long night."

The two took a taxi to the red light district, and Kaoru unconsciously found herself gripping Sano's arm for safety. The people milling about were either drunks or prostitutes. Kaoru had to ignore several catcalls that were sent in her direction. Fortunately for her, Sano's harsh looks generally silenced them and prevented any men from coming too close. They reached one of the most popular brothels in the district, and Sano stopped suddenly in front of the entrance. Turning Kaoru to face him, he said, "Okay, look, this is important. This place is full of low lifes, drunks, and, well, sluts. The men here are involved in bad stuff, and the women are just as bad. The worst thing you can do is open that mouth of yours and say something stupid. So please, no matter what people say, just stay quiet and don't let your anger get to you."

Kaoru opened her mouth to object but then sighed, "Fine. What are we doing here anyway?"

"We're getting information about Shishio's whereabouts."

Kaoru nodded and took a deep breath, "Okay then. I'm ready, and I promise not to lose my temper. What's the worst they can say to me anyway?" Sano was about to comment but for some reason closed his mouth, opting instead to open the door.

Kaoru was met with a similar scene as the last bar she visited with Sano. People were milling about, sitting on couches, stumbling on the dance floor, or flirting obnoxiously with members of the opposite sex. Kaoru noticed that there were a lot of scantily clad women strutting around, a few of whom were dancing in front of men that were handing them money. Kaoru rolled her eyes at the behavior and followed Sano to a few empty seats on one of the couches. A man that Kaoru recognized as Katsu was waving them over, and Kaoru felt relieved that she now at least knew two people.

"Oh, hey, Kaoru," Katsu greeted, acknowledging her before turning back to Sano. "So, Sano, what brings you two here?"

"Aw, come on, Katsu, you know why," Sano said, giving Katsu a knowing look. Kaoru suddenly got a whiff of strong perfume and a young woman appeared standing before them. She was wearing a red sequined corset dress that hugged her hips tightly and ending barely below her butt. She wore thigh high black leather boots, and her long hair cascaded over her shoulders. She was gorgeous, and Kaoru was immediately jealous. However, the scowl she threw in Kaoru's direction quickly turned Kaoru's jealousy into anger as the woman turned her attention to Sano. She rested one hand on her hip and the other fiddled with the sequence on her corset.

"So, where's your friend?" she asked seductively. Kaoru's brows furrowed as she watched the vixen before them. She noticed a few other women watching her anxiously, whispering in the corner of the room. They were clearly awaiting Sano's response.

"Who?" Sano asked, feigning innocence.

"You know _who_ I mean," the woman snapped, tapping her leather clad foot as another woman appeared at her side. "I haven't seen him in months, and I desperately want to run my fingers through that beautiful hair of his."

"Don't you have actual _paying_ clients here?" Sano asked, eyeing her.

The woman sniffed and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "There's work and there's play, Sano. And I assure you that I've never had a better time than when my hands graze those abs of steel."

Sano sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "What is _up_ with you women and him anyway?"

"Every girl likes a man with a little danger," she said suggestively.

"A _little_ danger?"

"Or a lot," she shrugged.

"My god," Sano said shaking his head. "Look you're not going to see him for a little while anyway. He's a bit tied down at the moment."

"I wouldn't mind tying him down."

Kaoru was beginning to feel uncomfortable with this woman's suggestive comments and shifted slightly on the couch.

"That's not what I meant," Sano answered. His eyes shot over in Kaoru's direction, and Kaoru suddenly felt herself become the subject of a piercing gaze.

The woman's eyes widened as she looked at Kaoru in surprise before turning back to Sano and shrieked, "You mean Battousai's smitten with _her?!"_ The woman was pointing at Kaoru, rage evident in her eyes. Kaoru was equally shocked and sat there numbly. The entire room was suddenly quiet, and Kaoru was sure she could hear her own heart beating. Every man in the area was backing away from her slowly, while every woman was glaring at her.

"Exactly," Sano said, breaking the silence and lounging back on the couch. "So I suggest you take your dirty business elsewhere."

The woman huffed, "Fine, but if that redhead gets sick of that frumpy thing over there, then he knows where to find me." With one last glare in Kaoru's direction, the woman stomped away, grabbing her friend in the process.

Sano sighed and reached for Katsu's beer before taking a swig. Kaoru couldn't seem to find her voice as she sat on the couch stiffly. Sano noticed her discomfort and slapped her gently on the back, "Oi, you okay there?"

"I feel dirty," she mumbled.

"Huh?"

Kaoru sighed and asked quietly, "So Kenshin had sex with _prostitutes_?"

"Well, technically," Sano said. "But they never charged him or anything."

"And that's supposed to make me feel better?" she asked in frustration.

Sano waved his hands in front of him in attempt to calm her down before her anger surfaced, "N-No, but I figured you'd be happy to know that he wasn't like any of these guys here who paid by the hour or something. The women just…liked him."

Kaoru looked around the room at the women who were working tirelessly, trying to get paying customers. "So, why would they waste their time with Kenshin? I mean, he's got lots of money anyway."

Sano shrugged, 'They all think he's the hottest thing around. Like some sex god or something."

"I can't believe this," Kaoru continued to grumble. "I still can't believe the nerve of that woman. I mean, honestly!"

Sano rolled his eyes as he watched Kaoru fuming. "Jou-chan," he said. "You _are_ aware that that was a while ago, and it isn't illegal for two people to have sex. You and Kenshin did it all the time."

"Th-that's completely besides the point!" Kaoru screeched, her face blushing furiously.

"Yeah, whatever," Sano grinned.

Kaoru glanced around the room in sudden embarrassment of the situation until her eyes landed on a glass on the table in front of her. Snatching it up, she began to lift the glass to her lips before strong hand tore the drink away from her. "Okay," Sano said, setting the glass back down on the table. "If you're so upset that you're going to start drinking, then I think we'll call it a night."

"B-but, our case! We can't just leave now," she sputtered.

"Yeah, well, it's not like we were going to find anything important here anyway. I just wanted to pay these lovely ladies and Katsu here a visit." Then he shrugged, "Besides, nothing's worth a drunk tanuki."

Kaoru glared at him, but she couldn't deny his statement. She really was a ridiculous drunk. She stood up as Sano grabbed her arm and started to drag her towards the door. She barely heard Katsu shout goodbye before the murmur of the club was gone as the door shut behind them.

As Sano searched the streets for a taxi, Kaoru felt the gnawing feeling of one of her many unanswered questions that refused to leave her mind. She turned to Sano with solemn eyes and asked softly, "Can I ask you a serious question, Sano?"

The man turned to her from his scouting of the dimly lit streets, and his playful grin was torn from his face when he saw the seriousness of her expression. "Sure."

"Well, something's been bothering me since that night in Tokyo when I met Katsu," she started slowly.

"Katsu got to you? No surprise there. He tends to babble, but he means well," Sano assured her, waving his hands in dismissal.

"No," Kaoru replied, shaking her head. "It wasn't _him_ per se but something he said."

Sano raised a brow curiously, waiting patiently for her to continue.

Kaoru fidgeted under his questioning gaze before firming her resolve and looking into his eyes. "Who was the other woman? Katsu said something about 'the last one.'"

Sano sighed and scratched the back of his head, "Shit, Jou-chan. You really know how to ask awkward questions."

"Well? Who was she?" Kaoru asked impatiently.

"It's really not my place to say," Sano said, trailing off.

Kaoru immediately grew angry. "I don't give a _damn_, but Kenshin clearly was never planning on telling me. And I have a right to know _something_," she demanded.

Sano shifted uneasily until he heaved another deep sigh. "Tomoe."

"Huh?" Kaoru asked in confusion.

"The woman. Her name was Tomoe," he repeated.

"Who was she?"

"She was a woman who met Kenshin as Battousai. They had a really rocky relationship for months, but eventually they realized they were in love with each other."

"So what happened?" Kaoru asked, trying to keep the pang of jealousy from her voice.

"They got married," Sano shrugged.

Kaoru's eyebrow twitched in irritation as she stared at Sano. "They _what_?!"

"Relax. He's not married anymore," Sano replied as if it were no big deal.

"Why not? Did they get in a fight or something?"

"Something like that."

"Great," she muttered. "So I could have an estranged ex-wife out to get me."

"She was never estranged," Sano replied sternly. "Although falling in love with Kenshin could put anyone in the crazy category," he added thoughtfully, tapping a finger on his chin.

"_Excuse_ me?"

"Uh, well, you're different," Sano finished quickly as he picked up on the dangerous tone in Kaoru's voice.

"And how is that exactly?" She asked in continued accusation, raising a brow.

"Well, you fell in love with Kenshin first. Tomoe fell in love with the assassin. The difference is crucial. She must have had a death sentence."

Kaoru nodded in understanding. She loved Kenshin and all parts of him, but she would never appreciate the part of his life where he killed people. And she could never imagine falling for someone like that. Of course, she could only assume that Tomoe saw the same thing she did – not a man who relished in the thought of blood but someone focused on a mission and willing to sacrifice sanity for a greater cause.

"So where is Tomoe now? Did he split up with her like he did me?"

"No," Sano said. "After they got married, he stopped pushing her away so much."

"Oh," Kaoru said bitterly. "So he wanted to protect _her _by being with her."

Sano realized how his words had come across and shook his head sadly. "It's true, Kaoru, that he didn't separate himself from her for her safety. He thought he could protect her." Kaoru looked at Sano curiously upon hearing the rare seriousness in his voice. "But in the end, there are some events that even the Hitokiri Battousai can't stop. And there are some people that no one can save."

"What happened?" She asked, afraid of the answer she would receive.

"She was killed. Kenshin couldn't save her, and her death nearly tore him apart." There was silence for a long moment as Kaoru processed his words. "That's why, Kaoru, he tried to push you away. He doesn't want history to repeat itself. But he's blinding himself from the fact that danger will still find you whether he's there or not. And honestly, him being around would be much safer than not."

"Did he ever get revenge?" Kaoru asked suddenly. "On the person who killed Tomoe, I mean."

Sano looked away. "No, the man's still alive, but he seems more and more like an empty shell these days."

"Huh?"

"Nothing," he said, shaking his head.

"Sano? Will the man come after me, too?" she asked in a small voice.

Sano shook his head solemnly. "Nah, lately he seems to be doing the exact opposite."

Kaoru's brows furrowed in confusion, but before she could question Sano further, his voice interrupted her thoughts. "Ah! There's a taxi!"

As Sano ushered her into the cab, she could only assume she should be comforted by Sano's reassuring words. If he didn't seem to think she was in any danger, then she wouldn't worry. She sighed and settled herself on the leather seats, unaware of a pair of red eyes watching her every move.

* * *

Kenshin stalked toward the popular club. It has been a while since he had visited the place, and he wasn't thrilled about making an appearance. The last time he had been there was before he had met Kaoru. It had been a nice release from his inner turmoil, and he would be lying if he said that he didn't enjoy the women's attentions. However, now things were different. Sure, he wasn't technically with Kaoru now, but he felt it would be a definite betrayal if he allowed himself to be seduced.

Originally, he had planned on going to a different location across town. That was where Shishio was expected to be. But a gut feeling told him otherwise. He wasn't sure why, but something drove him back to the sketchy bar.

He instantly heard the loud music as he slipped inside the door. It was the usual crowd of drunks and prostitutes. Before he had taken two steps he felt a familiar touch on his left arm, and the heavy scent of roses invaded his senses. "Ah, I was wondering when you would show up here."

The redhead turned to see the owner of the sultry voice. His golden eyes locked onto a beautiful woman in a red corset dress. "Aina," he replied with a slight nod. "It's been a while."

"Too long," she purred. "Now, how about a warm welcome to make up for your unexpected absence?" She began pulling him towards a corner of the club.

"I didn't come here for that," he said, allowing her to weave through the crowd.

Aina laughed flirtatiously as she continued walking. "Oh, come off it, Battousai. There's no other reason to visit a place like this."

"I have business to attend to," he replied, shaking his head at her insistence. Aina, however, ignored him and pushed him against a wall in a dark corner of the room. The other occupants wisely kept their distance from the unlit corner as the dangerous aura coming from the redhead kept the ten-foot radius free of people. Regulars of the club knew from past experience to stay away from Battousai…at all times.

Aina smiled mischievously as she gazed at the redhead's chest and rubbed her hands up and down his front seductively. "Now, your place or mine?" she asked as she settled herself with drawing lazy circles with her finger on his chest.

"I wasn't lying when I said I had business," Kenshin replied, trying to ignore the unwanted shivers her touch was sending through his body. The only thoughts that were crossing his mind was how much he wished Kaoru were there in the woman's place.

"Mmm, that can wait," Aina purred softly. "Besides," she continued, ghosting her warm breath across his left ear as she leaned up to whisper, "I can tell you want a woman's touch."

The combination of her hot breath and wet kisses that she began trailing down his neck to his exposed collarbone were starting to get to him. His eyes closed, and heat flowed through his body as the woman blew cold air across her wet kisses. Her nimble fingers began to unbutton his shirt and trail down his sides as she continued her trail of kisses down his front. She knew his body and his reactions too well. His breathing started to become ragged as he pressed himself against the wall to steady himself. Aina smiled to herself as she watched how her motions were affecting him. It wasn't until she began unbuttoning his pants that everything came to an abrupt halt.

A firm hand suddenly grasped her wrist and yanked it away, and Aina found herself staring in surprise at a pair of wide amber eyes. After she recovered from shock, she furrowed her brows, "Don't act like I've never done that before."

"I can't do this," Kenshin said, voice still husky from the effects of her exploration of his body.

Aina raised a brow, "And why is that?"

"I just can't," he said, turning away from her.

"Does this have to do with that girl? Because you two _clearly_ aren't in a good relationship if you react that much to my touch," Aina said, crossing her arms in indignation.

Kenshin's head whipped back to face her. "What? What girl?"

Aina shrugged. "She was here earlier with that spunky friend of yours. He said you were 'tied down,' whatever that means. But you're obviously not together right now, so I really don't know what the big deal is."

"Why was she here?" he demanded.

"Why the hell should I know?" Aina asked impatiently. "I don't really care if you two are together or not, but I'd at least like to know if you're rejecting me because you have a girlfriend or if it's something else."

Kenshin eyed Aina's stern gaze for a long moment before turning away. "I left her," he replied quietly.

"Then this isn't cheating," Aina said calmly, reaching out to stroke his abdomen and tugging on his beltloops, pulling his hips towards her. He continued to blankly stare at the floor, seemingly unaware of her actions. Aina sighed softly against his bare skin before releasing him. "Okay, fine. Why don't you come back within the next few days once you figure it all out?" she asked, looking intently at his vacant face.

He finally raised his troubled amber gaze and looked into her eyes. "I'll be back tomorrow night," he said firmly before suddenly pushing past her and weaving effortlessly through the crowds of people in the club. Aina immediately found herself surrounded by drunk people once again as the redhead's presence no longer kept them away from the corner. She smiled as she watched him go and couldn't help but look forward to his visit the next evening. It had been a while since she had enjoyed herself. Then, ridding herself of her thoughts, she set about searching for actual clientele.

Kenshin stalked to the door, buttoning his shirt again in the process. Aina was right; he needed to figure things out. He loved Kaoru, but this was for the best. He left her so that she would be safe, and he had no intention of going back to her. He was simply deluding himself and denying the truth by continuing to act as if they were still together, as much as he wished they were.

And the fact that Sano had brought her here angered him. He gritted his teeth as he stepped back out into the chilly night. Shishio was supposed to be around, and he didn't want Kaoru anywhere near the madman.

Having stepped outside the club, Kenshin immediately felt the dangerous ki. He didn't need to turn around to know who was standing behind him.

"Your girlfriend is quite a beautiful specimen. Kaoru, right?"

Anger flooded through him as he kept his face emotionless, not wanting to let down his guard, and faced the red-eyed man that stood before him. "What are you doing here, Shishio?"

"I should be asking you the same question."

"I don't' think it's really surprising that I would frequent a club that I have been a regular visitor of for years."

"I suppose that's true. But that doesn't explain your girlfriend's presence very well, especially since you arrived at different times," Shishio drawled.

Kenshin narrowed his eyes, "Leave her out of this."

"How can I when she is so involved with my predecessor? Besides, she _is_ investigating me, you know."

"You and I both know who you _really_ need to be worried about. So cut the bullshit. You only have to deal with me," Kenshin spat in anger.

Shishio cocked his head to the side, "I disagree with you. Her being on my case at all could really put a damper on my plans. And her relationship to you only makes it worse."

"She has no relationship to me anymore, so you can forget about that."

"I don't know if I believe you on that one," Shishio replied, shaking his head and closing his eyes.

"Not that I see how it is relevant in any way, but I left her."

"Prove it."

Kenshin stared at the man. He knew that Shishio was crazy, but this was ridiculous. "What?" he asked incredulously, wondering where such a demand could possibly be coming from.

"Prove it," Shishio shrugged as if there was nothing strange about the request.

"How?" he asked suspiciously.

"There's lots of beautiful prostitutes in there who would be very ready and willing to…hang out with you," Shishio sneered.

"And why would you watching me fuck some prostitute help your plans in any way?" Kenshin asked sarcastically.

Shishio snorted, "The way you word it makes it sound like I have some obscure fetish. No, I just want to make sure that you and that woman are truly done with your relationship. And so, I have one more condition."

"I never agreed to your ridiculous proposal in the first place."

Shishio ignored him and continued, "She has to witness it."

"What?"

"Kaoru, your woman, she has to see you with another woman."

There was a long moment of silence before the redhead shook his head, "I refuse. Your insane demand has nothing in it that benefits me in any way, and I am not obligated to do anything you ask me to."

"Doesn't _benefit_ you? I'm sorry that you don't consider sex with a woman a benefit," Shishio trailed off.

Kenshin merely stared at the man with an unreadable expression. "You know what I mean," he bit out.

Shishio finally moved to pace slowly and shook his head, "Ah, you see, I think this _does_ benefit you actually. Because while you and your little girlfriend are together, I am in a very difficult predicament."

"And what would that be?"

"Naturally, I'd have to kill her," he answered simply.

"I won't let you," Kenshin growled.

"I don't think you are really in the position to make a statement like that. As I recall, I remember hearing you promising similar protection to a particular woman as well, but I don't think her fate ended well," Shishio sneered. His sneer turned into a sadistic grin as he continued, "Although I admit her killer was a little unexpected. I never saw that coming."

Kenshin's hands tightened into fists as he resisted slaughtering the madman right there. Unfortunately, he didn't think making a scene on the street outside a crowded club would be one of his best moves.

"But," Shishio continued. "If you make sure that your relationship is over forever, then I believe she can live."

"And why exactly does my girlfriend concern you specifically?" Kenshin asked through gritted teeth.

"When she's a detective for Hajime Saito, I believe the situation changes drastically. She has turned out to be quite a good one at that if you consider how well she managed to track you in the beginning. I assume that's why Saito put her on the case in the first place. However, I want her off my back, and killing her would cause too many complications."

Kenshin's eyes widened in realization as he finally understood Shishio's intentions. While he knew that Kaoru was a good detective (although she didn't know it), he didn't realize that his foes had picked up on her skill. She had mostly only been tracking him, but he remembered how good of a job she had done doing it. Shishio obviously felt threatened by her. But if he killed her, then he would be asking for Kenshin's wrath, which is almost a guaranteed death sentence. However, there were several flaws in Shishio's plan.

"And why do you think this particular scheme of yours is ideal? I could merely ask for her to be taken off the case," Kenshin replied stiffly.

Shishio shook his head. "You and I both know how that would work out. That girl of yours is one hell of a spitfire. Taking her off the case wouldn't prevent her from doing her job. What's that saying again?" Kenshin narrowed his eyes as Shishio cocked his head to the side in thought. Snapping his fingers, the red-eyed man's face lit up with amusement as he continued. "Ah yes! '_Curiosity killed the cat_.' And your kitten is certainly good at stirring up trouble."

"I fail to see why sparing Kaoru's life would save yours. I'm assuming you're well aware that there's a price on your head as it is."

Shishio paced back and forth for a moment nodding his head in agreement. "That's true. But the reasons behind it would be different. It may be your job, but you haven't killed me yet. Here I stand." Shishio opened his arms wide and looked at Kenshin with silent invitation. The redhead didn't take it. Dropping his arms to his sides, Shishio chuckled darkly. "You see, Battousai, this is how I see it. You and I…we aren't all that much different, and you and I both know it. You don't _want_ to kill me or you would have done it by now."

"That's a lie," Kenshin growled, cocking one of the guns he had tucked in at his side.

"Tsk. Tsk. I disagree. The truth is that you see yourself in me, and you see the future that awaits you. The government is already starting to go after your life, and soon you will be in this very position. Besides, neither one of us brought our blades, and I'm sure we can both agree that when we fight, it should be epic."

Furious amber eyes glared into the dark red orbs until Kenshin shook his head and put the gun back in its holster. "You're a sick bastard, you know that?" His question was met with a menacing grin. "And you're a damn fool if you think I'm really going to let you go. The _real_ truth is that you're scared shitless because you know that when I really do fight you, you're head is going to fly and my blade is going to dripping with your blood. Threatening Kaoru's life and making your ridiculous proposition is merely delaying the inevitable. I _will_ kill you because that's my job and you, frankly, deserve to go to hell."

For a moment, Kenshin could see his enemy's mask falter and true fear passed through the narrowed red eyes. However, it faded as quickly as it came, and Shishio bared his teeth at the threat. "Convince yourself of what you want, but my offer still stands. Take it or leave it."

"Fine," the redhead replied after a long thought. "If I do it, then you leave Kaoru out of the matter."

"I probably won't even need to go to any trouble. She'll leave the case on her own. I expect it tomorrow night. And don't worry about me being around; I'll know either way if you're successful." And with that, Shishio disappeared.

Kenshin watched the darkness with a grim expression. He couldn't believe what he had just agreed to, but he was certain it was for the best. All he had to do was make sure Kaoru and Sano appeared at the club the next day. It wouldn't take much effort, considering Sano tended to frequent the club on a daily basis as it was. But still, precautions had to be taken. Kaoru may hate him for it, but in the end, if it saved her life, then it was worth it.

* * *

"I assume you all know why you are here." A handsome, middle-aged man stood at the head of a long table. There was a group of ten other men seated in the room, as well as an eleventh man standing in the corner with a circle of cigarette smoke surrounding him. His eyes were narrowed slightly as he watched the speaker warily.

"We can only assume we were called here because of the Shishio issue, Katsura-san," another man answered. He was a large man with thinning grey hair that he combed over in a fruitless effort to cover the bald spot adorning the top of his head. He looked every bit the greasy politician.

The leader, Katsura Kogoro, turned and gave a knowing smile. "You are correct, Daisuke-san. However, that is not the sole purpose for this gathering."

"What other reason could there be?" asked a third man curiously.

His question remained unanswered as Katsura only spared him a quick glance before turning back to the group. "We will discuss one matter at a time. Now, as you know, the attempted removal of Shishio Makoto from his services failed, and he is currently plotting his revenge on our regime. He must be stopped before his efforts generate any significant success. I understand he has already generated quite a gathering in the underworld. Our best agent is working on…eliminating the threat."

"The only one who could possibly accomplish such a feat is Battousai," Daisuke interrupted suspiciously. "Surely you wouldn't be so naive as to employ him in such a delicate matter."

There was an audible gasp throughout the room as ten heads turned to stare wide-eyed at their leader.

"He will be successful."

"Do you think that wise? Him assassinating a fellow assassin?"

"Shishio Makoto was a madman and anyone would be in agreement with that proclamation, _including_ Battousai. The fact that he is an ex-assassin of our organization is irrelevant," Katsura answered.

The rest of the table was reassured by Katsura's words, but Daisuke, as usual, remained skeptical. "But how do we know the Battousai isn't mad as well? You have to admit his actions and persona are not characteristic of any same being."

Katsura's expression instantly turned grim, and a man hidden in the dark corner narrowed his eyes to furious slits as he blew puffs of his cigarette.

"His fate is the other matter that I would like to discuss this evening," Katsura replied.

"He needs to be eliminated immediately," Daisuke stated flatly.

Katsura raised a brow, "And how do you propose doing that?"

Daisuke pointed at the smoking figure in the corner, "Hajime Saito."

The puffs of smoke came to an abrupt stop, and Katsura didn't need to look at the officer to know his answer to such a request. "That is _not_ an option."

"But it needs to be done! He knows too much!" Daisuke cried, standing up from his chair.

"And so do you."

The truth behind the words paralyzed Daisuke, and everyone in the room.

"Everyone here knows secrets about this regime that would ruin our reputation if they ever became public. And the Battousai himself is perhaps our greatest secret of all. However, there comes a point in time when we must learn to trust each other. We all hold secrets, and we cannot begin eliminated everyone at this table for such a ridiculous reason. The question of Himura's sanity and potential threat to the government is the _only_ factor that will be deciding his fate."

"He killed his own wife. That should be answer enough to the sanity question," Daisuke replied roughly. Murmurs of agreement sounded throughout the room, much to the man's satisfaction.

"That event is an exception and will not be taken into account."

"And why not? You have to mentally insane to kill a woman you love!"

"There were circumstances surrounding that incident that were beyond any of our control. I will not begin to divulge such information, but my decision that that will remain out of our debate still stands."

Daisuke's face grew red with anger, but he did not want to openly criticize Katsura in public. Instead, he changed the subject, "Then what about that Kamiya girl?"

"What about her?" Katsura asked calmly.

"Is it true Battousai just up and left her?"

"Yes, but—."

"So there you go! He has destroyed yet another perfectly reasonable woman."

Katsura raised a brow, and Saito snorted in the corner. "Are you going to condemn a man for breaking up with his girlfriend?"

There was resounding laughter throughout the room, and Daisuke flushed in embarrassment.

"Until we find legitimate reason to condemn our best assassin and strongest fighter in all of Japan, his fate will remain undecided. I only wished to inform you all of the potential problems that we may be dealing with in the future. We will meet again in a week." Katsura watched as the men slowly retreated from the room. When the last man disappeared behind the door, Saito eyed Katsura, who was running a slender hand through his black hair in exasperation.

"Daisuke is an idiot."

Katsura looked up at Saito in surprise before smiling softly. "I confess that he can be a bit stubborn."

"He's a fool, and his ignorance is going to get him into trouble," Saito replied.

Katsura sat back down in his chair and leaned back casually. "Unfortunately, Himura is not helping his case very much."

"You and I both know he is not a madman."

"I know," Katsura sighed. "But this issue is more complicated than just that."

"And how is that?" Saito asked, raising a brow.

"The board is growing uneasy with the whole concept of having an assassin as an integral member of our regime, and Daisuke is not helping the unrest."

"Daisuke is an idiot," Saito snorted.

"I agree. Unfortunately, he has a lot of influence over the other members. I can only sway them in our favor for so long, but if Himura does anything to disrupt things, it may be out of my control."

Saito narrowed his eyes. He never had as much faith in Kastura Kogoro as so many others had, but perhaps that was because he didn't share the same ideals. His motto was Aku. Soku. San. "Slay Evil Immediately." He and Battousai shared that ideal, and he made sure to steer clear of the political aspects of the government. Unfortunately, it was times like now when politics seemed to be all that mattered. It didn't matter if a person was good or bad; it only mattered if they were a threat to the game. And Hitokiri Battousai was definitely a threat.

"While I am not one for stifling the opinions of grotesque, power-hungry politicians, perhaps you should rethink who you have as your chief of staff, Katsura-san. Keeping a man as self-serving as Daisuke does not bode well for you. It's him that you should be ridding yourself of, not Himura," Saito answered, the frustration evident in his clipped tone.

Katsura spared a glance at the glowering man who stood towering over him. He smiled softly and took a deep breath. "I appreciate your honesty, Hajime, and I will take your thoughts into account. However, it has been a long day, and such discussions should not take place when we have so little energy left to spend. For now, we'll just have to hope that Himura acts as sanely as we know him to be until we can figure out a proper way to deal with this mess. Hopefully, he doesn't do anything drastic."

Saito watched as Katsura stood up and stretched. "Knowing the Battousai, he will."

Katsura looked at the man meaningfully and replied, "Good night, Hajime." Saito nodded in his direction and watched him exit the room before pulling out another cigarette.

* * *

Sano sprawled himself across the plush comforter of the hotel bed as he listened to the sound of hot water running in the bathroom. Kaoru was taking a shower before they got started on the day, and she had been sure to give him a strict lecture about not trying to open the bathroom door while she was naked. Sano, of course, had snorted at the mere thought of him doing that. He certainly didn't have a death wish, so peeping on his best friend's girlfriend while she was in the shower was not something he ever planned on doing. Kaoru hadn't really seemed too concerned that he would even try such a thing anyway as she accepted his laugh as agreement. The two of them had such a brotherly-sisterly relationship as it was, so Sano found it slightly surprising that Kaoru had felt any discomfort at all. Maybe it was because she still felt uncomfortable after all of the women at the club leered at her the night before. Her comment on feeling dirty may have been wracking her mind more than Sano initially thought.

He let out a sigh when he heard a light rapping on the window. Glancing over in that direction, he saw a familiar redhead perched on the sill. Sano shook his head and rolled off the bed to open the window and let his friend. "You really know how to make an entrance, Kenshin. Couldn't you use a door for once like a normal person?" Sano scratched his head as he made to lie back down on the bed.

Kenshin ignored him and glanced at the feminine belongings piled in the corner of the room, and the familiar scent of jasmine conflicting with Sano's distinct musk. "You're sharing a room?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow. He wasn't uncomfortable with the idea, as he knew Sano would protect her, but he couldn't help but be curious with the situation.

Sano shrugged, propping his body up on one elbow. "The department probably just wants to save money or something. Anyway, she's in the shower right now."

"Obviously," Kenshin remarked as he could hear the distinct sound of water being rung out of Kaoru long hair. He knew the sound well, and he found himself closing his eyes, reveling in the memories. Images of Kaoru naked in the steamy bathroom immediately began invading his mind, and when he reopened his eyes, they were a dark amber color as he stared at the bathroom door.

"Earth to Kenshin," Sano said, now standing and waving a hand in front of his friend's face to snap him out of his stupor. "It's not like you can just burst in there while she's showering. The door's probably locked anyway."

"Like that's ever stopped me before," Kenshin muttered, shaking his head and dispelling the racy mental images. "I came here for a reason," he said finally, voice taking on a more serious tone.

Sano crossed his arms and cocked his head to the side in curiosity. "And what is that?"

Kenshin took a deep breath and looked away before speaking again. "I need you and Kaoru to go to the club again tonight."

"What? Why?"

"The _reason_ is none of your concern. But it is critical that you do," he replied in a way that told Sano he was not about to divulge any more information.

However, Sano was not known for listening much to his friend and decided to ask questions anyway. "Are_ you_ going to be there, too, I'm guessing?"

Kenshin's gaze softened and took on an almost despairing look, which succeeded in confusing Sano greatly, "Yes."

Sano ignored the look on the redhead's face and grinned eagerly, "Good, I'm glad that you have finally come to your senses. Jou-chan will be looking forward to seeing you."

"I'm sure," he replied bitterly. Sano's brows furrowed as he watched Kenshin turn back towards the window. He paused and glanced forlornly back at the closed bathroom door.

"Sano," he said in barely a whisper. "I hope she knows this is for her own safety. It's only because I love her. It's always been because I love her. I never wanted her to get hurt, and I hope she doesn't hate me for it."

"Don't be an idiot. She'd never hate you. She knew what she was getting into when you two started dating," Sano replied, shaking his head and trying to dispel the worry clearly etched on Kenshin's face.

Kenshin closed his eyes for a moment before looking sadly at Sano. "See you tonight."

Sano nodded and gave him a thumbs up as the sound of the hot water stopped. Kenshin immediately took that as his cue to jump out the window, landing gracefully on the ground below. Sano quickly closed the window, glad that the breeze was not cold enough to alert Kaoru of anything unusual occurring while she had been showering.

Moments later, a towel-clad Kaoru stepped out of the steamy bathroom, running fingers through her wet strands. "I hope you didn't cause too much trouble while I was in the shower," she joked, eyeing Sano's mischievous look.

He smiled lazily and replied, "What kind of problems could I cause in a hotel room?"

"Sometimes I don't know with you," she said, turning to her pile of clothes and picking out a simple pair of jeans and fitted white, long-sleeve shirt.

"Just so you know," Sano began, as she began a mad search for her brush, "We have to visit the club again."

"Huh? Why?" she asked, finally finding the item she had been looking for and turning back to Sano in confusion. She was not particularly eager to see those women again, or the men for that matter.

"Well, we didn't find out a whole lot last night, so I think we should try again tonight now that you won't be shocked by anything," Sano shrugged.

"Fine, whatever," Kaoru replied. She started to brush her wet hair in an effort to get rid of the tangles her hair was caught in after having been curled the night before.

"Uh, one more thing."

"What now?" she asked in a huff.

"Well, when you had your…um…breakdown yesterday, I got a little worried so…" he started, shifting on his feet uneasily.

Kaoru gave him a strange look. "What did you do, Sano?"

"Okay, don't get mad, but I called that weasel girl, Misao, to see what to do. And she was worried and said she'd take the train first thing in the morning to get here."

"And you wait until _now_ to tell me this?" Kaoru asked incredulously. She would love Misao's company, but her presence would certainly complicate things.

"Well, yeah," he replied sheepishly. "And I thought that since we're going to the club again tonight, it would be good for you to get more appropriate clothing. The department gave us a budget."

"You want me to use the department's money to buy some outfit those _whores_ would wear?" Kaoru asked, her voice taking on a dangerous tone.

"Uh, yes?"

"Why you idiotic--," she started, stepping toward her partner. She was cut off by a sudden knocking on the door. Kaoru stopped mid-step as she recognized the sound. "Did you tell her where we were staying, too?"

"You gonna get the door or not?" Sano asked with a grin, thankful for Misao's perfect timing.

Kaoru sighed and started muttering to herself as she headed hesitatingly towards the door. As soon as she opened it, she found herself tackled by the familiar ball of energy that was Misao.

"Oh my god, Kaoru! I was so worried about you, and I'm so glad Sano called," she screeched, hugging Kaoru in an almost suffocating hold.

Kaoru coughed as she found herself immediately smiling after seeing Misao's face. "Can you let me go a little, Misao? I can't breath," she said weakly.

"Oh, sorry," Misao replied, pushing herself off the ground and helping Kaoru stand. "Now what is this about shopping for new clothes for you?"

Kaoru gaped at her friend. "H-How did you know about that?"

Misao shrugged, "The walls here aren't exactly sound proof, you know."

"We weren't talking that loudly," Kaoru retorted.

"Okay, okay, fine, I was listening in. I've been here for a few minutes already, but I was finding the conversation intriguing."

Sano decided to interject, "We're going to a club tonight, and Kaoru needs an appropriate outfit to wear."

Kaoru groaned. "What's so wrong with a club anyway, Kaoru?" Misao asked curiously.

"She didn't have the best experience last night," Sano answered for her.

"That's an understatement. Imagine if you were in my position," Kaoru replied heatedly, crossing her arms in front of her in indignation.

"What happened?" Misao asked, looking between Kaoru and Sano.

"She had a little run-in with some of Kenshin's, um, past, uh, _partners_," Sano said, trying to find the right words to sugar-coat the situation.

"_Whores_," Kaoru corrected.

Sano opened his mouth to disagree but promptly closed it. It was a true statement after all. Kaoru rolled her eyes at his obvious inability to deny the statement and returned to brushing her hair in front of one of the hotel room's mirrors.

"Wow, seriously? Damn, Battousai must get around," Misao commented lightly as she moved to plop herself on the nearest bed, which thankfully was Kaoru's. Sano's bed, which was closest to the window, was already covered in his discarded clothes, and the muddy shoe that was placed dangerously close to one of the pillows told Misao all she needed to know about how high hygiene was listed on the male's priority list—very low.

"You have no idea," Sano muttered. His comment, meant to be unheard, caused the women to whip their heads in his direction furiously. "Uh, I mean, you have no idea how much he regrets it," he stuttered.

His weak excuse was met with two quirked eyebrows, and he found himself growing uncomfortable under their gaze until the women turned back to each other.

"Anyway," Misao started, changing the subject. "Why don't we go shopping then instead of wasting time with this buffoon?"

Kaoru nodded and hurried to change in the bathroom before they left. Sano nudged Misao, and she glared at him, "Megumi can't come until Friday night because she has patients, so get over it."

"Uh, good to know, but that's not what I was going for," Sano replied, shifting on his feet uneasily. "Make sure whatever she wears, she looks good. I mean, really, really, good. There's going to be another person at the club tonight."

Misao's glare softened as she realized the meaning behind Sano's words. "Oh, got it!" she said eagerly.

"Don't tell her, though. I want it to be a surprise, and I don't want her to be nervous."

"Secret's safe with me," Misao winked, just as Kaoru opened the bathroom door. "Ready to go?"

"Yep," Kaoru said, nodding happily. Misao's presence was already cheering her up.

"Alright, then let's get shopping!"

* * *

**Ahem, don't forget to review now!!!!**


	8. Unheard Proclamations

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Rurouni Kenshin...sadly.

**A/N:** Uhhh, so sorry it took me so long to post? I didn't like where the story was going and took forever to brainstorm and come up with a better direction. I hope you guys like this chapter, and don't forget to review! I took all the other reviews to heart when I edited this chapter :) And not gonna lie, I tend to judge when to post my next chapter by how many reviews I get...so the more reviews, the sooner it will be posted. I don't know, I guess I need reassurance haha

* * *

Chapter 8: Unheard Proclamations

Shopping with Misao had been exhilarating. Kaoru had not felt so carefree in such a long time—at least not since before Kenshin had left. As she got ready for the night, she couldn't help but wish Kenshin would be able to see her now. It was yet another one of those stunning outfits one of her friends managed to pull together. It was rather revealing, as the black dress was rather gossamer, but she felt beautiful. Her hair was let free again to cascade down her back, and she applied her black liner with practiced ease.

Sano whistled as he saw her walk out of the bathroom. "You're sure going to show who's boss," he remarked with a grin, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

Kaoru smiled in embarrassment. "I have nothing to prove, Sano," she replied.

Sano shrugged, "The women will be jealous. More than they already are, I mean."

"Whatever."

Sano smirked and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her out of the room as they headed down to the hotel lobby. "By the way, Misao said she's going to visit someone across town, so she's not coming with us."

"Oh," Kaoru said, slightly disappointed. "I guess we have detective work to do anyway, though."

Sano didn't reply as they hopped in a taxi and headed towards the club once again. The ride didn't take long, and Kaoru found herself in front of the familiar place, much to her displeasure.

They pushed through the crowds to find an empty couch. Sano grabbed a beer on the way and handed Kaoru a glass of water. "Now we just wait," he said, stretching himself out.

Kaoru rolled her eyes at his nonchalance and looked about the room. She recognized a few of the people from the night before, and she noticed that Katsu was standing across the room when he caught her eye and waved. He made his way over to them and slapped Sano on the back. "Hey, there, pal, I didn't know you two would come back so soon."

"Yeah, well, we still have business, you know," Sano laughed.

"Back again?" another voice interrupted.

Kaoru froze when she heard that sultry voice. She looked up to see the woman from the previous night standing before them. She looked even more stunning if that were possible.

"What are you doing here now?" Sano asked with a groan. "I already told you he's not with us."

The woman ignored him and looked at Kaoru with narrowed eyes, a slight smirk etching across her delicate features. "I don't believe we were ever formally introduced yesterday. My name is Aina, and you must be Kaoru."

Kaoru kept her defiant gaze locked with the woman before her. She wasn't really interested in conversing with the prostitute who was so eager to grope her boyfriend…or ex-boyfriend…or whatever they were now.

"Can I help you?" Kaoru asked through gritted teeth.

Aina simply smiled haughtily and flipped her hair. "I just wanted to thank you."

"For what?" Kaoru asked suspiciously. She was sure the contempt was evident on her face, but Aina didn't seem to care.

The woman replied simply, "For keeping that ex-boyfriend of yours in impeccable shape. I must say, when he came to see me last night, I just couldn't keep my hands to myself." Aina laughed and moaned softly to herself in reminiscence, a noise that didn't fail to have the desired effect on an angry Kaoru.

Kaoru was about to stand up when Sano pushed her back down. "Aina, stop lying and getting her riled up."

Aina turned to Sano and raised on eyebrow, "You don't believe me? Honestly, it took him _forever_ to say no to me."

"But he said no," Sano said harshly.

Aina merely shrugged, "Maybe…or maybe he was just _postponing_ the inevitable." The way she said the word put Kaoru on edge, and she found herself struggling against Sano's grip.

"Aina, just leave us alone." Aina looked at Sano with amusement. She glanced up when something caught her eye, and she smiled before looking back at the pair before her.

She sighed satisfactorily and said, "I believe I've won this game anyway. Excuse me, I have someone I need to see."

"It's not a competition," Kaoru grumbled to Aina's bare back. The prostitute turned around and smirked.

She leaned down and whispered, "When it comes to him, it's _always_ a competition."

Kaoru watched wide-eyed as Aina's swaying hips disappeared into the crowd.

Kaoru shook her head in frustration and rubbed her temples in annoyance. "I hate that woman."

Sano shook his head and rubbed his hand gently on Kaoru's upper arm. "Ignore her, Jou-chan. She just wants to get you worked up because she's jealous."

"Of what?" Kaoru asked bitterly. "I was dumped, just like her."

"She and Kenshin never went out," Sano corrected. "They just had sex. That's not a relationship."

Kaoru sighed, "I can't help but feel a little envious. She looks so perfect and—"

"She's a prostitute. Nothing changes that fact. No matter how dolled up she gets, she's still a slut, and Kenshin would never in a million years choose her over you, so you have no reason to feel jealous of that woman. In the past, Kenshin just needed an outlet to vent his frustrations, and she was the model choice…for obvious reasons."

"I guess…but still."

The two sat in silence for several minutes before Kaoru stood up. "I'm going to get another glass of water," she said.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Sano asked.

Kaoru shook her head. "No, I'll be fine. It won't take me long."

"If you say so." He watched Kaoru head towards the bar as he searched the crowd. He knew that Kenshin was supposed to show up at some point, but he had no idea when. But the flash of red hair finally caught his eye, and he stood up and decided to follow Kaoru. He didn't want Kenshin to be mad by letting Kaoru wander on her own through a crowded club.

He found her still waiting patiently by the bar. She didn't really seem too eager to ask for more water, as she was merely staring into her glass. "Everything alright?"

"I just really miss him, Sano," she replied sadly in a soft voice.

"I know, but I'm sure he'll turn up soon."

Kaoru shook her head and glanced to the side. She rolled her eyes as she saw the dim form of Aina in the corner of the club. No one was within several feet of her and whatever man she was draping herself over. "She's ridiculous."

Sano looked at Kaoru in confusion before following her gaze. He took in Aina's form, and his heart stopped as he observed the signature distance between her and the rest of the crowd. People keeping their distance from a mysterious couple in a corner only meant one thing – Kenshin was involved.

"I'm going to teach her a lesson, that slut," Kaoru muttered and turned to stalk after the woman. Before Sano could stop her, she began stomping towards the couple. She was so focused on the woman's hands trailing down the unknown man's chest that she failed to see the flashes of red that caught the light.

* * *

Kenshin tried to relax as he leaned against the bar with a cup of sake in hand. Shishio's idea was preposterous, and after thinking about it, Kenshin decided not indulge the maniac in his absurd fantasies. There had to be another way to get Kaoru to go back to Tokyo, leave the case, and hopefully leave his entire world for good. It was for her own sake, after all, and as much as it pained him to push her away, he knew he couldn't take the guilt of having the second woman he loved die by his hands. But no matter how hard he tried, his enemies would always be haunting him, and Kaoru's innocence would draw them like moths to a flame. Unfortunately, the redhead had yet to come up with a solution. The obvious course of action was to simply kill Shishio, and he had come prepared if a battle were to occur. But knowing Shishio, their fight would be carefully planned, set up with a time and place, rather than a midnight death match in some back alley.

Still, Kenshin was convinced there was more to Shishio's plan than met the eye. Saito had warned Kenshin before of the government's wavering support for him and the unrest that was surely brewing in the council. He wasn't much concerned about their opinion or the outcome of their decisions himself, even if it meant his death, but he _was_ concerned slightly that Shishio's plan had something to do with the council. It was possible that Shishio had one of the men under his control, and if that were true, then there was more at stake. Surely if Kenshin followed through with the plan, the council would think he had completely lost his mind, Katsura would be less likely to defend him, and a ruling in favor of his elimination would not be surprising. Was that what Shishio wanted? Get him out of the way without the danger or possible death that a fight may bring?

The ideas were whirling around his head in a vicious cycle, and the red head found himself forcing his eyes closed temporarily to calm himself. This would not do, and he needed to be composed if he were to speak with Kaoru later. He needed to convince her to go back to Tokyo, and despite having all afternoon to think over how this conversation would go, he knew he wasn't ready for it. Kaoru was stubborn and at times could be beyond reason.

"Hey, there, Battousai. I'm glad you made it," came the seductive voice of Aina, breaking his train of thought.

"I'm a man of my word," Kenshin replied with a slight smirk, trying to dispel the last of his worry from his thoughts.

"It's crowded here," Aina said, tugging playfully on his sleeve. "I know you don't like crowds much either." She walked her fingers up his sleeve towards his collarbone as she spoke and grinned when she saw him flinch at the contact. She knew he was ticklish, but it was a secret she was sworn to withhold.

Taking a deep breath and downing the last bit of sake in the glass, Kenshin allowed Aina to pull him away from the bar. Once they were settled in the usual corner, Aina proceeded to drape herself over him and gently kissed his neck. "So, what made you choose me over her?"

"I made no such choice," Kenshin retorted and looking away.

Aina stopped her movements and fixed him with a stare, "Are you with that girl or not, then? I'm very confused."

"No, I'm not."

"Yet you still love her."

"…"

Aina rolled her eyes and pushed herself against him. "You know what?" She whispered. It was a rhetorical question, however, as she knew the red head would continue to peer in constant awareness at the other patrons of the club. He always had his guard up even during their more intimate moments. "I think you love her but you're too scared she'll suffer the same fate as Tomoe so you push her away." Angry golden orbs suddenly bore into her own, but Aina stood her ground as she stared up at him. "Bull's-eye," she said softly.

"It's none of your business," he replied sharply, eyes narrowing dangerously. Aina knew better than to press him too far and decided to steer the conversation in a less treacherous direction.

Morphing her facial expression into a fake pout and cocking her head to the side, Aina asked, "How come you were never so concerned for _my_ well being?"

The golden eyes changed from anger to that of indifference, and Aina wasn't sure which was worse sometimes. In this case, she chose the latter.

"I told you from the beginning the point of this relationship," he replied coolly.

The prostitute sighed and turned away, disappointment evident on her face. "I know, but a girl can dream."

"You dream a bit too big."

Not wanting to dwell on her own feelings for the assassin, Aina glanced towards the bar to see the raven haired competition sipping a glass of water with a look of irritation on her face. "They're very different, Battousai. That girl of yours is quite the brat, but she's strong. She can take care of herself."

Kenshin looked towards where Aina's eyes had been directed, and his look darkened as he took note of how beautiful Kaoru looked.

"It doesn't matter if you two are together or not because she's your weakness and that's never going to change. It's too late now, and you can't undo the past. You can't go through life alone forever; she's made her choice so it's time you make yours. Either way you're killing that girl." Aina watched him stare helplessly at the young woman he was so clearly in love with. It pained her to know that he would never feel that way about her, but men rarely do when it comes to prostitutes.

"You seem to take her side rather strongly," he said with a smirk playing at his lips, turning his attention back to her. Aina smiled upon seeing his usual smirk again.

"You misunderstand my intentions then," she argued. "I'm merely trying to figure out if my only _non-paying_ client will be needing my services in the future."

"I always told you I'd pay."

"Oh, I think we both know I could never allow you to do that," she replied huskily. "You more than make up for the money in other means."

His eyes darted once more the bar, only to find that Kaoru was no longer there. He could see the top of Sano's hair, however, and tried not to let panic overwhelm him. It would probably be unwise to pull out his wakizashi and begin cutting through the crowd if she were merely standing next to his trusted friend.

"I can see my services are at an end, then," Aina said with a sad smile as she watched the redhead's constant thoughts dwelling upon Kaoru.

"I don't even know if she'd want me back," he said quietly, more to himself than for Aina's benefit.

"She does. Women can tell these things," Aina remarked, gently stroking his chest in consolation. "Can I…can I ask for one more kiss before you leave me forever?"

Kenshin stared at the woman before him, seeing her for the first time as the vulnerable being that she truly was. His lack of a response gave her affirmation, and Aina pushed him softly against the wall, a gentle hand resting on his scarred cheek and the other playing with the scarlet locks, before she leaned forward and gave him a tender kiss. It would be her last time kissing the legendary manslayer.

* * *

Aina, was still all over the poor man, but there was a little more distance between them. Kaoru could tell they were speaking quietly, and she couldn't imagine what sexual insinuations Aina was likely whispering. It wasn't until the woman fingers began playing with a soft tendril of hair that Kaoru noticed something was wrong. As Aina leaned into a kiss, her victim's hair caught the light and shone a brilliant red. _Kenshin_.

Kaoru stopped in her tracks. She felt frozen in time, unable to move forwards or back, and she barely felt the hands on her shoulders that kept her from falling. It was with only a mild awareness that she realized Katsu was pulling her away towards the door, and she could barely make out Sano's frame stalking towards the corner of the bar before her vision faded to black.

* * *

_**-Flashback-**_

_Kaoru slowly opened her eyes to find herself face to face with the edge of a gray cotton pillow. She furrowed her brows in confusion as she stared at the fabric. "I could've sworn my pillow was blue yesterday," she murmured to herself in a dry voice. Sitting up slowly, she felt a wave of nausea and her limbs had an odd tingling sensation. Her entire body felt exhausted._

_Kaoru glanced around her room and noted several things wrong with it. Firstly, it was sparsely decorated, secondly her curtains were now black, and thirdly there was a random picture frame on a dark chest of drawers. The picture was of a beautiful young woman facing the camera with only a hint of a smile on her porcelain face. She was so stunning that Kaoru could only assume it was one of those pre-made pictures that companies put in picture frames to sell in their stores. It was odd that the picture didn't come with an advertisement for the brand, but it was a detail Kaoru wasn't going to dwell on. The bigger issue was why her room looked completely different._

_It took a full other minute before Kaoru's still-waking mind came to terms with the fact that she wasn't in her apartment; this was clearly someone else's. The events of the night before suddenly came flooding back into her mind, and Kaoru's breath hitched when she realized the likely owner of her current place of dwelling. She was rather surprised that she was still alive and unharmed given the circumstances, but she couldn't help but wonder how long her security would last._

_In another room, she could hear a coffee maker, and the smell of fresh coffee was tempting. She had two options: escape or face death. Either way, she was screwed. Gingerly, pushing aside the covers, she stepped out towards the only window in the room and pushed back the curtains. "Figures," she snorted. She was several stories high and there wasn't a fire escape, which meant her only way out was through the bedroom door._

_Kaoru tiptoed towards the door and silently opened it to peer through. Through the crack, the only thing in her line of sight was an empty room with sparse furnishing. On the left she could see the edge of the kitchen, where she presumed there was coffee, but she couldn't make out any more than that. But there was no sign of her supposed "savior," who she knew to be Battousai. He saved her life once, but she wasn't sure he would be so kind to do it again. He was known to be a cold blooded killer after all._

_Steeling herself for the daunting task of sneaking out the front door, the location of which she still had no idea, Kaoru quietly pulled the door open wide enough for her slim frame to pass through. She glanced down the hallway and didn't see anyone before turning in the other direction towards the open living room. A quick look around reaffirmed the fact that there was little decoration in the apartment, but she could tell the few items there were rather expensive. Whoever Battousai was must be wealthy, but he clearly didn't have taste for extravagance._

_Sparing a final look down the hallway, she rounded a corner of the room and collided with something hard. She let out a yelp of surprise and jumped back from her obstacle to find herself staring at a bare chest—a perfectly, chiseled one at that. Her eyes widened and her heart dropped as she stared and slowly willed her eyes to move upwards to face the demon of Kyoto. Her blue eyes locked gaze with amber orbs that seemed to be boring into her soul. Time seemed to stop as Kaoru recognized the piercing gaze , followed by the familiarity of the red hair that was cascading down the man's shoulders. He was holding a cup of coffee that had miraculously not spilled in the collision._

_Too stunned words, Kaoru merely gaped as a whirlwind of thoughts swirled through her head. Kenshin merely took a sip of coffee before nodding towards the kitchen, "It's fresh if you'd like some."_

_His words brought her back to reality and she shook her head furiously, stepping back. "This isn't real. Wake up, Kaoru, wake up, damn it!" She shut her eyes tightly and then opened one slowly, peering at the figure before her. "Still there! Try again," she told herself. Shutting the eye, she opened the other instead before both snapped open and panic overtook her face. Kaoru suddenly made a mad dash for the door, but a strong hand caught her arm and pulled her back._

"_Let go of me, you beast!" she shrieked, trying to break the contact. But she wasn't strong enough for the steely grip and found herself being tossed onto the couch._

"_You're not going anywhere," Kenshin said firmly._

_Kaoru glared at him from her sprawled position and yelled, "Are you going to kill me then? Go on, finish the job!"_

_The golden eyes narrowed and he asked, "Why would I kill you?"_

"_Well, wasn't that your plan?" she asked angrily, a slight hint of confusion in her voice._

"_If I wanted you dead, then I wouldn't have saved you," he snapped._

_Kaoru looked shocked as she watched him run a hand through his fiery hair and set down his mug on the coffee table, taking a seat in one of the chairs. He looked to be having an inner battle, struggling to figure out how to word whatever he was about to say. Kaoru herself had too many questions in her mind that she had no idea where to begin and merely sat there numbly staring at him._

_Finally, Kenshin calmed himself slightly and while gazing at the floor, said quietly, "I don't know what I would have done if you died. I'd never hurt you, Kaoru."_

_Even though Kaoru knew as soon as she had slammed into him that the man who owned the apartment was Kenshin, the same man whom she had started dating a week ago, him saying her name made her fully realize the fact and extinguished all doubts. His words touched her, but at the same time made her angry and confused at the same time. "You lied to me," was all she said._

"_I never lied," he retorted._

"_Yes, you did! You said you were a freaking detective!" she shouted._

"_Of sorts."_

"_This can't be happening to me. I'm supposed to be arresting you!"_

"_And how's that investigation going?" he asked, raising a brow._

_Kaoru took one look at the slight smirk appearing on her boyfriend's face and threw her hands up in the air in disgust. "I was dating one of Japan's most wanted. Great. That'll be excellent for my career."_

"_I thought you wanted to go to law school."_

_Completely changing the subject, Kaoru stood up and asked, "What were doing when you supposedly had meetings? Were you actually sneaking out and slaughtering innocent people?"_

_Kenshin's eyes twitched slightly but he kept an impassive face as he returned her glare, answering, "I'm an assassin; I have targets. I don't go on killing sprees."_

"_And you think that justifies it? You think that just because you're killing corrupt officials that it's suddenly okay? Did you forget that those people have families, wives and children that care about them?" Kaoru was wildly waving her hands about, eyes flashing dangerously, but she didn't miss the pain that showed on his face upon hearing her words. But as soon as the expression appeared it faded, and Kenshin's face hardened even more than before._

"_I do what I think is right. It's Heaven's Justice, and whether you believe it is moral or not is irrelevant to me," he replied._

_Kaoru looked at him, steadying her breathing. She was torn between what to do. Sitting there before her, Kenshin didn't look like the precise and ruthless hitokiri he had been the night before. But could she have really called his actions ruthless anyway when he had saved her life from some thugs who clearly had negative intentions towards her well being? It was then that Kaoru looked down at herself for the first time and realized she was no longer donning the bloody jeans and sweatshirt of the night before. She was wearing a large t-shirt and black sweatpants, and there was not a speck of blood on her. Warily, Kaoru raised one of her arms up to her nose and smelled it. She smelled like jasmine. Confused, she turned to Kenshin questioningly._

_His eyes softened and he looked away. "I didn't want you to wake up with blood on you."_

_Kaoru felt touched by his concern and she blinked back tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. She quickly turned away, "I need to go. I'm meeting Misao for lunch today."_

_Kenshin stood up abruptly and went over to grab her purse from a side table before handing it to her. Her hand grazed his as she reached for the handle, and a blush crept to her cheeks._

"_Thanks," she said softly. Her eyes darted to his quickly, and seeing the concern that was evident in his expression, Kaoru fled the apartment. It wasn't until she was in the elevator that she realized the fact that she had never broken up with him; the thought hadn't even crossed her mind._

_Meanwhile, Kenshin was still staring at the closed apartment door, a slight smile forming on his face. It was a fact he hadn't missed either._

**-End Flashback-**

* * *

"You piece of shit!" Sano yelled as he stalked up to his red headed friend. Kenshin, shocked, pushed Aina away and looked at Sano in confusion.

"Sano, what are you-," he started, but his question was cut off by Sano's fist coming towards his face at a lethal speed. However, even thought Sano was a good fighter, he was no match for Battousai, and Kenshin was not going to allow his friend to beat him up on purpose. Dodging to the side, he watched as Sano's fist met with the wall instead.

"What's wrong with you?" Kenshin asked angrily, but Sano ignored him and let out yell as he turned to throw another punch.

"This is ridiculous," Kenshin muttered before drawing up his katana and slamming the sheath into his friend's back, throwing him into the wall.

The people around had stopped their conversations and turned their attention to the corner. It was not uncommon for the Battousai to show up at the bar and not disturb anyone, but every once in a while, just when people were starting to think he was no longer a threat, he would pummel someone with apparent ease. They stepped back, and the bartender watched helplessly, hoping that there wouldn't be a murder in his establishment. He was powerless to interfere.

Luckily for him, however, he had no reason to fear, for Kenshin was not about to murder his friend. After knocking Sano into the wall, he grabbed him by the jacket and dragged him towards the door to the alley, as Aina watched them disappear with wide eyes.

Kenshin threw Sano towards the ground and bit out, "Now tell me what you fucking problem is."

Sano stood up and brushed himself off and set a glare on Kenshin. "You come in the window and demand me to bring Jou-chan to the club to, what, observe you all over that bitch? What the hell is wrong with you? I thought you guys were going to get back together," Sano demanded.

"I never said that," Kenshin spat.

Sano stared at him as he replayed the conversation over inhis head. He had gotten it in his mind that Kenshin was going to take Kaoru back, and that he had finally come to his senses. But now, as he thought it over again, Kenshin was right. He never once said those were his intentions.

"So what then? Just break the damn girl's heart? See how hard you can crush her?" he asked angrily instead.

"No, that wasn't the plan."

"Then what was your plan?" Sano asked incredulously.

Silence.

"Then what _was_ your plan, Kenshin?" he repeated in a louder voice.

"I don't know!" Kenshin finally shouted.

Sano looked at his friend and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "What were you and that whore doing exactly? Other than getting up close and fucking personal."

Kenshin rolled his eyes. "We were just talking actually."

"Yeah, like hell you were."

"No, really."

Sano cocked his head and raised a brow. "I didn't think she was capable of such a thing."

"Aina can be surprising sometimes."

"And what _intellectual_ things was she saying?" Sano asked, his disgust for the prostitute evident in his tone.

"She was giving me advice on Kaoru…and saying goodbye," Kenshin replied, looking away.

"What? Goodbye?"

Kensin's eyes were unreadable as he responded. "She knew I'm still in love with Kaoru, and she seems to think I should patch things up."

"Shit. For once in my life, I agree with her." Sano looked perplexed and glanced about nervously, "Is the world ending?"

"Oh, shut up," Kenshin snapped. "I know _you_ hate her, but she does have her moments."

"Okay, I don't _hate_ her, but I didn't like how she always saw you as a piece of meat. I mean, when it comes to prostitutes, shouldn't that idea be the _other_ way around?"

Kenshin laughed, "I see your point, but it was just sex so it didn't matter. But where's Kaoru? I need to see her."

At his words, Sano's face fell. "Kenshin, she's gone."

"What?" Kenshin asked in shock, his face changing from drastically from laughter to horror.

"She saw you with Aina and passed out, so Katsu is bringing her back to the hotel. I'm sorry. She drew the wrong conclusions."

Kenshin cursed and drew his katana, slamming the blade into the wall with force.

"Look, man, I know this is bad, but once we explain what was really happening it'll be fine. You can talk to her first thing in the morning," Sano said, trying to console him.

"No," Kenshin said, shaking his head. "You need to get her out of Kyoto first and get her off the case. Shishio made a threat against her life last night, and I can't…I can't allow anything to happen to her. Her safety comes first; our conversation can wait."

Sano looked at him with sudden worry. "Shishio threatened her?"

Kenshin only nodded in reply.

"Okay, fine. We'll take the first train tomorrow. And you better not get yourself killed killing that crazed bastard. Kaoru will be waiting for you to get back to Tokyo."

Kenshin gave a soft smile, "Thanks for your concern, Sano, but I'll be fine. Can you just make sure she knows I'm coming back?"

The tall man crossed his arms and leaned against the wall behind him. "Sure. But before I go, can I ask what brought about this change of heart?"

Taking a deep breath, Kenshin replied, "Aina gave me a little insight."

"Like Kaoru's not Tomoe?"

Kenshin winced slightly, but answered, "Yes."

"Took you a long time to figure that one out."

"I know."

Pushing himself off the wall, Sano yawned and stretched lazily. "Okay, then now that you have your head on straight, I guess I'll be off to go straighten up Jou-chan's. Before I say anything though, you're serious about all this? You really mean to get back together with her for good? No more of this 'I'm not worthy' crap?"

"I mean it," Kenshin sighed.

"Good because I'll kill you if you change your mind."

"Good luck with that."

Sano laughed, knowing full well that there'd be no way he could ever come close to killing someone as skilled as Kenshin. "Okay, see ya. Give Shishio a nice, clean beheading for me," Sano said, waving casually behind him as he re-entered the crowded bar.

"Oh, I will," Kenshin grinned to the closed door, amber eyes shimmering in the darkness.

* * *

**Just a friendly reminder to review...pretty please?**


	9. Lingering Promises

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. As I've said 8 other times.**

**

* * *

****Chapter 9: Lingering Promises**

"What do you want, Sano?" Kaoru snapped as she stepped out of the bathroom. She was running her fingers through her loose hair, trying to get the knots out after sleeping on it the previous night.

Sano was sitting on his bed in the hotel room, watching Kaoru with serious eyes. She had been curled up in a ball when he arrived after having his conversation with Kenshin, and Sano had been struggling to find the right words to break the awkward silence all morning.

Last night he had told Kenshin they would take the first train back to Tokyo, but Kaoru seemed adamant to avoid speaking to him at all costs. So far, the only words Kaoru had spoken were agreeing to Misao's offer to bring up some coffee from the complimentary breakfast in the hotel lobby. _It's too bad the weasel had to scurry off somewhere,_ Sano thought miserably as the tension in the room thickened.

"Look, Jou-chan, we need to talk," Sano replied finally, running a hand through his hair.

"There's nothing to talk about."

Kaoru continued to move about the room, organizing her things, and re-heating up the last of her coffee in the microwave. It had been almost two hours since Misao had dropped it off.

"Yeah, okay, but be serious," he pleaded.

"Is there a reason we're not out investigating Shishio right now?" Kaoru asked, ignoring Sano's comment.

"See, _that's_ why we need to talk."

Kaoru glared at her partner in response before huffing and crossing her arms. She remained silent, and Sano was starting to feel unnerved at her stance. When he failed to say anything more, Kaoru's eyebrow raised slightly.

"Can you just sit down? I feel like you're going to burn a hole through me with a glare like that," Sano said.

"Fine." Kaoru moved to sit on her bed, but her body remained tense. "Talk."

"Okay, first things first. Last night—"

"Last night is not what I sat down to discuss," Kaoru said quickly.

"Jou-chan," Sano started. "I know you're hurt, but it's important."

"I _said_ I don't want to talk about it."

"That's it!" Sano stood up and started pacing the room in frustration. Kaoru sat stock still, shocked by the sudden outburst. Whirling around, Sano fixed Kaoru with a stern expression. "Listen, there's some things I need to tell you, and you're going to sit there, be silent, and wait til I'm done. Got it?"

Kaoru nodded numbly, too stunned to do anything else by Sano's sudden behavior.

"Good. Now, yesterday Kenshin came to tell me to bring you to the bar last night. I don't really understand what his intentions were, but by the end of the night he wanted to talk to you," Sano explained, trying his best to summarize what happened. "Aina—"

"The slut," Kaoru muttered.

"Uh, yeah, well, she was actually just giving him a goodbye kiss because she realized she lost."

"Lost what?" Kaoru asked confused.

"Lost the battle for Kenshin, I guess. She realized he loved you too much…or not _too_ much, but I mean too much to cheat on you…not that he would ever do that anyway," Sano continued, trying to figure out a way to word things correctly and failing miserably, as Kaoru narrowed her eyes in irritation. He did not have a way with words.

"Shit, I sound like a narrator for a daytime soap opera," Sano said, burying his head in his hands.

"I think they're a little more eloquent," Kaoru teased lightly.

Sano glanced at her, surprised by the lightness of her tone. Kaoru _always_ surprised him; he could see why Kenshin loved her so much. "Anyway, my point was that Kenshin _wasn't_ cheating on you."

The smile on Kaoru's face was wiped off again, and she shook her head slowly. "I never thought he was, Sano," she replied softly.

"What?" Sano asked. "_I_ thought he was, at first."

"You're missing the main flaw in your whole train of thought!"

"And that is?"

"We aren't together," Kaoru answered, rolling her eyes at obviousness of the statement. "You can't cheat on someone you're not even dating."

"You and I both know that's a lie, Jou-chan. You keep saying you two aren't together, yet you both refuse to date anyone else."

"I just haven't met anyone else interesting, that's all," Kaoru shrugged, trying to ignore the heavy feeling in her stomach. She was lying through her teeth. She knew it. Sano knew it. Hell, _everyone_ knew it.

Sano observed the changes of emotion passing over Kaoru's face. He could tell she was debating with herself. Sighing, he asked, "How long are you going to keep pretending?"

"Until it stops hurting," she said in a near whisper.

"It's never going to stop hurting when it isn't over."

Kaoru shook her head, "I don't want it to be over, but—." She stopped abruptly after she choked slightly on her words.

Sano stood up and sat down next to Kaoru in an attempt to give her some form of comfort. "You're going to be happy again. We're going to go back to Tokyo until Kenshin takes care of Shishio, and then he's going to meet us there. It'll all be okay."

Kaoru's eyes widened and she whipped her head to look at Sano. "What do you mean _going back to Tokyo_? I'm not going anywhere; I'm here to do my job," she said firmly.

"I knew you'd say that. But we're going back because we're really not needed, and I'm going to give Saito a call soon to find out our orders." Sano pulled out his cell phone from his pocket, standing up and pacing the room again.

"Put that down, Sagara Sanosuke," Kaoru ordered. "Before you call Saito, we need to finish this conversation. What makes you think I'm going to abandon an investigation like that? I don't want to look like a weak woman who can't do her job by letting her personal life get in the way."

"That isn't what I'm implying," Sano said, returning his phone back to his pocket. "The fact is that you're simply in danger by being in this city, and Kenshin has this case handled. There's nothing else for us to do."

"But we were hired to investigate this nutcase! And we barely did any of that," Kaoru protested. "We didn't even take anyone into custody or anything."

"Shishio Makoto isn't _going_ to be taken into custody."

"But he's a criminal," Kaoru said slowly.

"Jou-chan, think about it. This case is in Kenshin's hands; he doesn't arrest people."

Realization dawned on her, and she almost winced at the thought. "Oh, right."

"That's why we're not needed. Honestly, I don't know if we ever _were_ needed. Kenshin's pretty damn efficient at stalking his prey."

"Sano," Kaoru said seriously. "Please _never_ refer to Kenshin as _stalking prey_ again. He's not an animal."

"Oh, uh, sorry," Sano replied sheepishly, scratching the back of his head with an awkward grin plastered on his face.

Kaoru rolled her eyes. Sure, it was the truth. Kenshin really was like a hunter, but he was stalking people. While Kaoru was fully aware of the nature of Kenshin's assignments, she didn't need it repeated aloud. They had kind of an unspoken agreement to not ever really talk about it. Kenshin would tell her when he would be home late or if he would be out of town for a few days, etc. But he'd never give her details or a body count. _That_ information she would usually find out in the news the next day anyway, but it was better than hearing it from Kenshin's mouth.

She was still trying to rid herself of the memory of the time she tried to surprise him with dinner…

* * *

**-Flashback-**

_ "Uh, Kaoru?" Misao asked nervously, shifting on her feet awkwardly. "Are you sure you want to do that?"_

_ Kaoru looked at her friend and then turned to Megumi, who was looking equally uncomfortable with the situation. She had just informed them of her plan to surprise Kenshin with a dinner in his apartment, but they didn't seem as supportive as she had hoped. _

_ "I don't see why there's anything wrong with my idea," Kaoru answered, wondering why her friends were acting so strangely. It wasn't like she had never been in his apartment by herself before, and he _had_ finally given her a copy of the key. She was still surprised he had managed to trust her that much, but she was touched that he had._

_ "You know, tanuki," Megumi started. "It's not like it's a _bad_ idea. It would be so romantic if it were anyone else."_

_ "Kenshin deserves romance just as much as anyone else," Kaoru snapped. "I understand you're worried, but I'll be perfectly fine. Nothing is going to happen in his apartment; it's probably the safest place in the city anyway!" She crossed her arms indignantly before sitting on the couch fuming. While her friends liked her boyfriend, his job made them uneasy. Of course, it _should_ make _her_ uneasy, too, but they say 'love is blind.' And what a true statement that really is. She had gotten over his identity a long time ago._

_ "Actually, Kaoru. It's Kenshin we're worried about. I mean, for him to escape death all week only to come home and be poisoned…" Misao trailed off, looking away towards the window in an effort to ignore the growing anger developing on Kaoru's face._

_ "EXCUSE ME?"_

_ "Oh, please," Megumi interrupted, flipping her hair. "_Everyone_ knows your culinary skills are less than adequate."_

_ Kaoru could only stare at her two friends in shock. Here she was thinking they were worried about her safety, but instead they were insulting her cooking? She couldn't figure out which was worse: the fact that they were unconcerned with someone attacking her while alone in the Battousai's apartment or that they were worried about her poor cooking killing Kenshin. _

_ "Okay, so I'm not a five-star chef, but that doesn't mean my cooking is _lethal_," she muttered. "Honestly!"_

_ "Maybe you should just bring take out," Misao offered but then shut her mouth at the venomous glare Kaoru shot her._

_ "I'm not ordering take out for a romantic dinner."_

_ "I'm not talking pizza here, but just get something to go and bring it over. You can set it all up while he's gone, and it would be just as romantic. Kenshin wouldn't mind."_

_ Kaoru eyed her for a moment before heaving a sigh. "I guess, but I really wanted to do something nice."_

_ "It would be nice for you not to cook. I'm sure he would appreciate it much more than having to suffer through one of your meals," Megumi laughed, ignoring Kaoru as her glare focused on her instead of Misao. "I'm just giving you advice."_

_ "Fine," Kaoru said angrily, standing up and turning on her heel to storm into the kitchen. She grabbed the coffee pot and refilled her mug in an attempt to calm herself. This was one of those moments where not being able to cook really got to her. Once she felt sufficiently calmed, she headed back into her living room where her two friends were fixed in their positions waiting for her return._

_ "What should I order then?" Kaoru asked, shoulder slumping slightly in defeat._

_ Both Misao and Megumi grinned at each other before beginning their excessive planning._

_

* * *

Kaoru heaved the two paper bags onto the granite counter in Kenshin's kitchen. She took out a bottle of sake, and put it in the fridge, knowing that while Kenshin would probably drink a glass there was no way he would let her touch the bottle. He had already been exposed to her drunken self once before, and he had no intention of allowing a repeat of that to happen again. She was a terrible drunk, as much as she hated to admit it. _

_ Returning to the bags, she dug her hand into one of them to pull out the sushi she had gotten from a restaurant downtown. It was the same restaurant that Kenshin had taken her to on their first date. She had been there a few times with him since, and the owner of the restaurant now recognized her on sight. It made it rather easy for her to order sushi to go, despite the restaurant's notorious waiting list. The restaurant owner, upon hearing she was going to surprise the redhead with a romantic dinner, even provided her with complimentary dishware. Kaoru had been shocked, given that _no_ restaurant ever just gave out their expensive plates and cups, but she wasn't going to complain. Dating Kenshin certainly had its perks. _

_ Putting the sushi in the fridge, Kaoru started searching through the kitchen drawers and cabinets in an effort to find a nice tablecloth. She wasn't sure if Kenshin even _had _one, but she had noticed over time that he often pulled out ridiculous things only a woman would have bought every once in a while. It made her wonder if a woman had lived here at one point since Kenshin himself never seemed prompted to buy frivolous things like napkins or tablecloths, despite his mass wealth. _

_ "Men," she muttered, shaking her head while trying to dispel any thoughts of a previous woman in Kenshin's life. Opening another drawer, Kaoru's breath caught before she quickly slammed it shut again. She closed her eyes tightly, opening the drawer slowly, and peeking at its contents with one eye again. Again she saw the distinct black shape of a handgun in the corner, but she was over the shock of seeing the weapon the second time. It was too bad this particular drawer contained such a deadly piece of metal _and_ tablecloths. _

_ Trying her best not to touch the weapon, Kaoru pulled out the first tablecloth quickly. With a sinking feeling, she noticed the gun slip from its position and fall slightly in between the side of the drawer and the cloths. Kaoru groaned in frustration. As much as she wanted to just close the drawer and be done with it, she didn't want to leave the gun in a less accessible spot. She could only assume it was there in case Kenshin found himself in an undesirable situation in his kitchen, and the last thing she wanted was for him to have to search for the gun that could save his life. _

_ Holding her breath, she used the tablecloth in her hand to pull out the gun from its crevice and lay it back in its original position. Jumping up and down lightly on her feet as a shiver ran down her spine, Kaoru felt as though she had touched some vile insect. She slammed the drawer shut and shook her hands in disgust. There was an added creepiness factor that came into play when seeing such a weapon outside of police headquarters in such an innocent place as a kitchen drawer. She felt fortunate that in her job as a detective, Saito had yet to force her to carry weaponry. _

_ Kaoru set the tablecloth down on the counter before hurrying to the sink to wash her hands. She knew she was being ridiculous, but she couldn't help it. Guns made her uncomfortable; Kenshin's swords were less gruesome to her. Maybe it was because she had always been an admirer of swordsmanship since her father used to teach it, and swords held an odd beauty that commanded respect. Guns were just ugly and cold. But, in a modern age, they were necessary._

_ Kaoru sighed as she turned off the hot water of the sink and wiped her wet hands on the dry cloth handing off to the side. She couldn't help but roll her eyes as she noticed the insignia. It was yet another example of oddities in the apartment that made Kaoru question a previous female presence. Kenshin would never have bought such a cloth; he would have settled for wiping his wet hands on his pants like most men. Although the redhead _was_ rather meticulous about keeping things clean…_

_ Turning to grab the tablecloth again, Kaoru headed towards the table in the dining room to drape it over the mahogany wood. She made a mental note never to open any closets in Kenshin's apartment, given what atrocities an innocent kitchen drawer held. It brought a whole new meaning to skeleton-in-the-closet. Kaoru shivered at the thought. There was no way he would have a body in the apartment given Kenshin's tendency to clean in excess. But she wasn't going to take any chances._

_ In fact, thus far she had yet to encounter even a bloody sock. There was one time she noticed a suspicious crimson stain on the floor, but she never said anything about it. And the next time she came over, the stain was gone. Kenshin did an impeccable job of keeping the apartment perfect, surrounding himself with so much lightly colored furniture in what seemed like an effort to make him feel less dirty. _

_ She did notice, however, that the shower was black, and Kaoru had a feeling it was to hide the red water that inevitably ran through the drain when Kenshin would shower after a job. It was kind of eerie how much thought he put into things sometimes._

_ Glancing at the clock, Kaoru noticed it was approaching 9 p.m. She knew Kenshin was going to be home within the next half hour or so, so she quickly finished setting the table, laying out the sushi on the plates and putting the chilled sake in the center of the table. Stepping back, she smiled at her handiwork. It wasn't as romantic as a home-cooked meal would have been, but Kaoru knew her friends were right. Besides, burning down the apartment probably would not be ideal either._

_ Kaoru suddenly whirled around when she heard the door open. He was early._

_ Smiling broadly, Kaoru waited for Kenshin to step in the door and notice her, but he seemed distracted. Normally he sensed her presence from a mile away._

_ Her smile quickly dissipated as she noticed the red mass of liquid that was being trekked through the door. "Kenshin!" she choked, horror evident on her face. She started to run forward before he raised his head, amber eyes widening in shock._

_ "K-Kaoru?" he asked, as if hoping his eyes were deceiving him. He closed the door behind him swiftly and silently, looking like a child caught red handed…of course, he _was_ red handed._

_ Kaoru looked him over slowly, from head to toe. Her stomach twisted in knots as she fought the urge to vomit. Blood was matted in his already red hair, and his dark clothes were stiff with the dried blood. Red smears were on his face and hands, and he quickly pulled out the katana and wakizashi at his waist, setting them aside. "What are you doing here?"_

_ "I-I wanted to surprise you," she breathed, still battling with the sickening feeling rising up in her throat._

_ She watched as Kenshin strode quickly across the room to put his swords on the stand. Drips of blood fell on the floor as he moved, and a part of Kaoru idly wondered what the hell Kenshin used to clean up the mess he must make every time he came home. How the ivory wood managed to stay so clean was clearly one of the mysteries of the world._

_ "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Kaoru asked, trying to break the silence and heavy tension growing between them. She had never seen him arrive home right after an assignment before, and the reality of it all hit her hard._

_ "I'm fine," he replied, sparing her only a quick glance._

_ "But the blood," she started, moving towards him in concern with an outstretched hand._

_ "It's not mine," he interrupted. Kaoru felt her hand snap back instinctively, and a flash of guilt washed over Kenshin's face as he turned away from her._

_ Kaoru's eyes softened as she realized how hurt her action just made him. He probably thought he reviled her now. Looking at him, Kaoru couldn't help but feel guilty herself. She always told herself she wouldn't judge him if this situation occurred; she had mentally empowered herself every time she came over to his apartment just in case. And here she was letting herself act like a silly, little girl, and allowing the man she loved to feel just as dirty and undeserving of her as he always claimed to be. She refused to let that happen. She may not love his job or what he does, but she was damn sure she loved the man!_

_ Taking another step forward, Kaoru saw Kenshin tense. She reached out a hand and said softly, "Here, let's get you cleaned up."_

_ As she reached a hand to start unbuttoning his bloody shirt, he swatted it away before she could touch him. "Don't. It's covered in blood," he said firmly._

_ Kaoru narrowed her eyes in anger. "I know that," she snapped, reaching again for the first button. The force of her answer evidently surprised him as he looked at her in wonderment as she began unbuttoning his entire shirt before pulling it off him. He remained unmoving as she lightly touched his chest, which was tinged pink from the blood that had seeped through his shirt to his skin._

_ "You're unhurt, though?" she asked quietly, looking up to meet his wide amber eyes. He merely nodded before she reached for his hand and started pulling him towards the bathroom. When he didn't move, she turned back and furrowed her brows in confusion. "What's wrong?"_

_ His expression was hidden behind his bangs as he looked down. "You prepared a dinner for me?"_

_ "Yes, and I'm starving so you're going to take a _fast_ shower."_

_ Kenshin looked up startled. "You still want to eat with me?"_

_ Kaoru let go of him and put her hands on her hips, fixing him with a glare. "I love you, Himura Kenshin, and don't you forget that. A little blood isn't going to stop me." _Or a lot of blood_, she added mentally._

_ He smiled softly as he watched the beautiful woman before him. Her strength never ceased to amaze him. "I'll make it fast, then," he replied, nodding towards the bathroom, carrying his bloodstained shirt with him._

_ "And don't you dare put a shirt back on," Kaoru called after him, watching fondly as the redhead laughed before disappearing into the bathroom. There was a lingering scent of blood that trailed after him, but Kaoru ignored it. She was in this for the long haul, and she knew she had to be strong if she was going to be the Battousai's woman._

**-End Flashback-**

* * *

"Earth to Jou-chan," Sano said, snapping his fingers in front of Kaoru's face, bringing her abruptly back to reality.

"Huh?" she asked dazedly.

"Are you paying attention to me?" he asked.

"Oh, sorry, I was just thinking about things."

"Like?"

Kaoru sighed, "My disastrous surprise dinner for Kenshin."

"Wait, the one where he came in after assassinating Rokurou?" Sano asked.

Kaoru nodded. She remembered seeing the newspaper headlines the following day as she had lunch with Misao and Megumi. Apparently, the assassination of one man turned into an all out massacre of at least a dozen of his henchmen. It was no wonder Kenshin had returned drenched in blood. He could avoid the splatter from one official's body but not that number people.

Sano whistled. "Yeah, you sure picked a hell of a night to surprise him with dinner."

"It was certainly an eye opening experience, but we grew closer after that," Kaoru replied seriously.

Sano merely raised a brow and a smirk was growing on his face. "So I heard."

Kaoru didn't miss the mischievous look and asked suspicously, "Why are you grinning like that?"

"Isn't that the time you two broke the bed?"

Kaoru's face turned a deep shade of red and she hurled one of the pillows next to her at Sano. "How'd you know about that?" she shrieked, grabbing another pillow.

Sano held up a hand to bat away the first pillow as it came hurling towards him. "Settle down, Jou-chan. He didn't tell me, but when I came over the next day and noticed the disarray in the bedroom it was obvious!"

Kaoru chucked another pillow, satisfied when it sailed through the air and hit Sano in the face. "We're changing the subject," she said firmly, crossing her arms and watching as Sano recovered from her assault.

"Yeah, good idea….it _was_ pretty kinky of you two though, and they _do_ say sushi is an aphrodisiac." Sano noticed Kaoru's movement towards another pillow before he waved his hands in front of him, "Okay, okay, I'm done! I swear!"

"You'd better be."

"About that train ride," Sano started, changing the subject.

"I'm not leaving," Kaoru interrupted.

"You have to. You'll only get in Kenshin's way anyway because he'll be worried over your safety and the distraction could get him killed."

Kaoru opened her mouth to argue but shut it, feeling torn. She didn't want to be a weakness for Kenshin, but she also didn't want to leave him alone, especially if Sano was serious that he wanted to talk to her.

"Besides," Sano continued. "If I don't get you out of Kyoto, then Kenshin'll have a fit. And honestly, he can't really afford any actions that might jeopardize his sanity right now…"

"What does _that_ mean?" Kaoru asked suspiciously.

Sano sighed before asking, "Do you believe in conspiracies?"

Kaoru found herself completely thrown off by Sano's abrupt change in the subject. Having no idea where he was going with this, she hesitantly asked, "Why do you ask?"

"The government is hiding one of the biggest secrets in history. If it ever leaked out, then it would start crumbling fast. And Kenshin…he's right in the middle of it all," Sano answered seriously.

"But Kenshin works for himself. He's an assassin, a crime lord almost. I mean, he gets paid, but—," she started, abruptly cutting off her own thoughts as she realized her thoughts weren't making sense.

"Who do you think pays him?" Sano asked, prompting her.

"You said once that he works with Saito. And you. Is Battousai hired by the government for his skills? Or was he ever even his own entity?" Kaoru stared at the ground as she whispered her last question, mostly to herself.

"When he was fourteen years old, he left the man who taught him everything he knows. He was an orphan when the master swordsman found him and began the brutal training. He and his master lived in isolation, but Kenshin couldn't stand by and watch the world burn. He was young, idealistic, and naïve, just like every other fourteen year old. Katsura Kogoro found him, saw his skills, and made use of them," Sano explained.

Kaoru gaped at him. "K-Katsura? You mean _the _Katsura Kogoro, as in the leader of our _country_?"

Sano nodded, "Yeah, they needed someone skilled to take care of their dirty work. And Kenshin was perfect for the job. If a politician became corrupted, Kenshin was sent to assassinate him."

"The government assassinating its own people," Kaoru murmured. "That's dangerous."

"Exactly. That's why they devised the cover of Battousai. Kenshin became a ruthless crime lord and dangerous assassin. No one would guess the Battousai was actually a government agent. And anyone who discovered that fact was quickly killed."

"I don't understand. So is he the good guy or the bad guy?" Kaoru asked, brows furrowed in concentration as she continued to stare at the floor.

Sano shrugged, "I don't know. I don't really think there's a distinction between the two. You can find criminals with the purest hearts, and you can find philanthropists with sadistic intentions. Does it really change anything?" Kaoru looked at Sano in amazement. Sometimes he could be so wise.

"No, I guess not…Is that why Saito always has to make a public effort to be catching Kenshin without ever actually being successful? So that the public would never suspect anything?"

"Yeah. Those two have quite a strange relationship. They respect each other for their skills, but I'm sure you've noticed that's about as far as the respect goes. I'm sure Saito secretly would love to land Kenshin in prison."

Kaoru looked up at Sano worriedly, but he laughed at her expression.

"Relax, Jou-chan. He'd never do it anyway. The government has too much at stake already to let that happen. Besides, Kenshin would never let himself get caught."

"This is unbelievable," she said softly. "I don't know if I should be relieved he's a government agent or horrified by the conspiracy."

Through her unfocused vision, Kaoru watched the red digits on the digital clock change, trying to take in all of this new information. Many of her unasked questions about Kenshin's job had been answered, and some of the mysteries of his missions solved. But there was still something that was plaguing her mind.

"Um, Sano?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah, Jou-chan?"

"In Saito's office, when you two were arguing…why is Kenshin's life in danger?"

Sano sighed. "It's partly because of Shishio. Shishio Makoto was an assassin for the government as well, but he was a madman with a lust for blood. He was a threat to both society and the government and had to be eliminated. But his assassination was a botched job, which is why he's now seeking revenge on the government for their betrayal."

"Why did they hire him if they already had Kenshin?"

"It was after the whole thing with Tomoe. Kenshin was out of commission for a while, but he returned to his duties. They needed someone while he was gone, and that person, if you can call him that, was Shishio. Shishio was good at his job, but Kenshin was better. They dealt with the gore differently. While Shishio became obsessed with killing, Kenshin took the opposite route, becoming even more emotionless than before. He shut off all his emotions and killed with indifference. At first, that suited people fine. He wasn't reveling in blood, and obviously that was good."

"But?"

"…But," Sano started slowly. "Pure indifference isn't healthy either. 'You can't kill people and not feel anything,'" Sano mocked, making fake quotation marks in the air. "That's what the board said anyway. The whole thing with Tomoe really screwed him up, and they think he's mentally unstable. So now there are a lot of guys who are starting to think he's insane as well."

"But that's ridiculous! He's not a crazed killer like Shishio," Kaoru cried, feeling her heart begin pounding in her chest. She had never realized how dark the whole situation had become. She had always been naive, thinking she was just dating some rich assassin. And as odd as it sounded, that would have been much simpler.

Sano shook his head. "I know, Jou-chan. But he's not doing anything to help his case on the question of his sanity. Leaving you was one of the most recent questionable actions. And now, making a deal with Shishio to—."

"What?" Kaoru asked in sudden surprise. "What deal with Shishio?"

Sano realized his slip as he tried to come up with an excuse. "Uh, see, well, he...um.."

"Sanosuke Sagara, tell me now," she said sternly, as if a mother chastising her son.

Sano took a deep breath and swallowed hard. "Kenshin's going to kill me for telling you this, but Shishio was going to kill you."

"Me? Why?"

"Because you were investigating him."

"Why not you instead?" she asked without thinking.

Sano raised a brow at her. "Wow, thanks, Jou-chan. I'm glad you value my life so much," he replied sarcastically.

Kaoru rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean, Sano. I'm a terrible detective. There's be no reason for him to be worried about my involvement in the case."

"Uh, on the contrary, Jou-chan, you're an excellent detective. Why else did you think Saito put you on the case?"

Kaoru furrowed her brows in confusion. "I thought it was just to make me run into Kenshin or some way to torture me."

"No, you managed to track Battousai so well before you met Kenshin, and that's why you were so valuable. Saito would never tell you that, of course. But Shishio sure as hell didn't want you on his trail, and Kenshin knew you'd never just quit a case because someone asked you to. Even if _he_ asked you."

Kaoru looked away, knowing full well the truth of that statement. Kenshin frequently warned her not to do things that put her in danger, but she never listened. She was definitely born with her father's tenacity—too stubborn for her own good.

"Well, he was right. I'm not leaving this case just because some nutcase wants me to," Kaoru answered firmly, hands on her hips.

"Shishio isn't just some nutcase. I mean, he _is_ a nutcase, but he's intelligent, conniving, and ridiculously strong. You don't want him coming after you, and Kenshin can only do so much to protect you."

"You just told me earlier that Kenshin is coming back to me. I'm not going to leave him."

Sano sighed heavily before pulling out his cell phone. "I'll give Saito a call and see what he wants us to do."

* * *

"He's lost it!" Daisuke slammed his fist down on the table. "You wanted prove, Katsura? There's your proof!"

The whole room was in chaos, and Katsura, for once in his life, found himself at a loss for words. He glanced up at Saito, who stood silently in the corner with a troubled expression.

"It's obvious he's lost his mind. No man with any sense would do something as insane as that!"

There was a murmur of agreement.

Katsura finally made a motion for everyone to be quiet. It only took a few moments for them to follow his instructions. "I understand that the situation is troublesome, but Himura's personal affairs and sexual activity have nothing to do with his sanity."

"He banged some whore in the closet of a bar," Daisuke argued.

"And you've never done something similar? I believe it was you who was caught with the secretary in your office. It's fortunate your wife has not found out," Katsura replied calmly. "I was not aware that infidelity merited capital punishment."

Daisuke opened his mouth to protest but found that several pairs of eyes were now on him. His affair with the secretary was not much of a secret, but it was not a public topic of discussion either. His embarrassment was evident, but it quickly turned to anger as he focused on the leader of his country.

"That may be true, but _I_ am not under questioning for my sanity. _I_ am mentally stable and rational enough to keep my…affairs…to myself. I would never call my wife and ask her to drop by the office while I'm with another woman," Daisuke answered heatedly. "No man involved in an affair wishes for his partner to discover it. That's the whole point."

Katsura took a deep breath and shook his head. "I do not believe it would be his intention for Kamiya-san to walk in on them."

Daisuke continued to fume with anger. "That's where you're wrong. I know for a FACT that it was his plan all along. He lured the girl in, calculating when to begin the romp to be sure the poor girl would see it."

"And how would you know this?" Katsura asked suspiciously.

"I-I have a valuable s-source of information," Daisuke stuttered, clearly uncomfortable by the tone of Katsura's voice.

Saito glanced at Katsura pointedly and narrowed his eyes. Katsura looked at the officer, seemingly having a silent conversation, and turned back to Daisuke. "Who is your informant then?"

"Th-that is none of your concern," Daisuke answered, growing increasingly uncomfortable by the situation. "But it is true."

"I will not tolerate this. Accusing a man of such things is an atrocity, especially if you refuse to give proof. You came here spouting off these rumors but have given no concrete evidence that any of this occurred. For all I know, you could be making this up," Katsura replied sternly. "You have continuously accused Himura of things of which you have no knowledge, and I am growing tired of your behavior. If you have a personal grudge against my best assassin, then I ask you to take the matter to him yourself instead of wasting my time." He ignored the shocked and angry expression on Daisuke's face. "This meeting is adjorned. And I ask that no one calls a meeting again without my permission. That is my authority alone," he finished, giving Daisuke a pointed look.

He watched again as everyone left the room slowly, Daisuke being the first to storm out. Wearily, he rubbed his eyes and looked at Saito. "Do you think it's true what Daisuke said?" he asked.

Saito remained silent for a moment before answering. "I find it hard to believe the Battousai would do anything so foolish."

"Do you think Daisuke is lying then?"

Saito shrugged. "I don't know, but I find that more likely. The man is infuriating."

"Interesting. I can't tell if there is more to this personal grudge than meets the eye," Katsura mused.

"Daisuke is not a man to be trusted."

"I agree. Watch him closely and see if he does anything suspicious."

"And what about the Battousai?"

Katsura rubbed his eyes in frustration. "I want to know what happened last night. If Daisuke is telling the truth, which I doubt, then I don't know what Himura is trying to prove because it's certainly not his sanity. But I suppose that's what I get for recruiting a child at fourteen."

Saito snorted and shook his head. "You should never have asked a mere child to do your dirty work, but you can't change that now."

"I know. That Kamiya girl was really helping a permanent change in him. He just needs to have her back in his life."

"I'm not playing Cupid," Saito replied firmly as he saw the implication behind Katsura's words.

"No, no, of course not!" Katsura laughed before standing up.

Saito was not convinced, and he watched as his superior headed for the door. The shrill beeping of his cell phone echoed through the silence of the empty room, and Sano rolled his eyes at the noise. "An annoying ringtone for an annoying person," he muttered. Pulling the phone from his pocket and flipping it open, Saito growled. "What, Sagara?"

* * *

**A/N: I apologize for always being so evil with cliffhangers...I tend to leave things open juuust in case I want to change the next chapter before posting. I know that Kenshin has been really behind the scenes, but I fully intend to make sure there is some great Kenshin-goodness in the future at some point. I hope this chapter also gave you the feeling that there is more going on than meets the eye, and don't worry, everything WILL be explained. You just have to be patient because I do have a general plot swirling around in my head. Although, I admit that I have yet to fully decide on where Kaoru will be in the next chapter: Tokyo or Kyoto? I'm leaning heavily one way and have already written most of the chapter for it, but nothing's set in stone until I post it!**

**And you know you want to review, yes?**


	10. Night to Remember

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.**

**A/N: Okay, I confess that I am…a review whore. I admit it! After I post a chapter, I eagerly check my email with the hopes of seeing the "Fanfiction: Review Alert" all over my inbox. I got five for the last chapter so I guess that's not too bad? And I was glad to see that other people have been reading my other stories. And I just starting replying to reviews as of, say five minutes ago? So post a review, even if it's a comma, and I swear I will send you something witty, usually related to the story but sometimes not, in response!**

**Here's my next chapter, and it contains more of my favorite character of all time finally. I'll give you a hint: he's prettier than me (and I'm a girl). If only he were real…I try not to dwell on that fact…shatters my dreams. (Sigh) Life is rough, man.**

* * *

**Chapter 10: Night to Remember**

Kenshin couldn't stop pacing the small space of his hotel room. One hand was running through his unruly red hair while the other fiddled with the handle of the katana hanging on his side. His left thumb was continuously flicking the blade out of the sheath, only to allow it to slip back into place with a _click_. He couldn't stop himself; he was too riled up from the events of the past few days.

The hotel room was small, which would seem unusual given the large sums of money that he raked in for his job. He preferred the common single studio rooms that hotel's offered for two reasons:

One, he wasn't one for luxury, which was obvious by the sparse decorum of his own apartment back in Tokyo. The money he made was nice, and it was a relief to know he would never be in financial difficulty. Unfortunately, given that he generally needed to keep a relatively low profile, buying expensive things would not do. People tend to talk when a customer spends a lot of money, and he didn't need to draw more attention to himself than he already did with his flaming red hair. There were certain things he could splurge on…like a new sword or guns or other things he got from the black market. But the people he bought from there knew his identity as Battousai and knew the life-ending consequence if they were ever to divulge such information. Katanas were expensive and rare, after all, but it didn't make so much as a dent in his pocket book.

The other reason for the small room was more logical: the assassin liked to keep an eye on all entrances and exits into his temporary abode. A presidential suite, while comfortable, lent itself to intruders given how many rooms it contained and how many places there were to hide. He knew from experience. Wealthy government officials almost always chose those suites when traveling, and they were convenient for easy assassinations. A small room was much more difficult to penetrate, and while he himself had managed to successfully do so, there were few with such an ability..if any.

There were only two ways in or out of the room: the door and the window. Kenshin's focus was more on the door, but he kept a part of his senses on the window just in case. He had broken into rooms through windows before, despite being on a high level. His ability to jump unbelievable heights came in handy, but if necessary, he could still scale the outside of a building. It was much simpler when it came to stealth to enter through a window than through the door, where guards tend to focus all their attention. Who would expect an assassin to make his entrance through a window on the twentieth story anyway? And in all honesty, if an assassin was that good (like him), then simple guards would not be skilled enough to be able to stop him anyway.

With a scowl, the redhead finally put an end to his pacing and sat on the bed. He needed to force himself to calm down and think about his next courses of action. Shishio made it clear that he was threatened by Kaoru's presence in the city, and Kenshin wasn't sure if Sano would be able to successfully convince her to go back to Tokyo. He smiled fondly as he thought of how stubborn Kaoru could be. But now wasn't the time for her to display her most notable personality characteristic; she needed to leave for both her safety and his sanity. Fighting Shishio with her around created a liability that he didn't want to have to deal with.

On top of that dilemma was the other problem nagging him in the back of his mind. He had the sneaking suspicion that Shishio was not working alone. He knew he had the backing of the Juppongatana, but there had to be someone else in the government giving Shishio support or perhaps someone else who was behind the growing counter-revolution. Shishio was a cunning individual, but he was too psychotic to be plotting everything on his own, not to mention the lack of financial backing. How was Shishio obtaining his weaponry without any obvious source of income? Clearly, he had a wealthy supporter.

Kenshin's thoughts briefly flickered to Daisuke. _The fat pig,_ Kenshin thought bitterly. He couldn't help but wish he would one day get a notice from Katsura to eliminate that particular individual, but Daisuke was sneaky and did not leave evidence of his corruption. Kenshin was convinced he was involved in treacherous affairs, but without proof, he couldn't do much about it. And he didn't have a whole lot of free time to spend investigating the beaurocrat. He hadn't even expressed his concerns to Katsura yet, although Saito shared his feelings. It was obvious how much Daisuke hated him, and Kenshin was unsure where this blatant contempt stemmed from. There had to be something more going on.

An abrupt knock stopped his musings as he whipped his head in the direction of the door. He could sense Saito's ki from his position on the bed and sighed wearily. He didn't really feel like dealing with the egotistical officer, but apparently he had no choice. Saito rarely sought him out unless it was necessary. Katsura even tried to reduce relations between the two, given that their bickering often led to physical assault. Their respect for each other's prowess only extended so far.

Reluctantly standing up and opening the door, he turned around and sat back down on the bed without even bothering to watch as Saito entered. "I'd appreciate it if you put that cigarette out," he said.

Saito closed the door, lifting the cigarette to his lips and blowing out another puff of smoke before tossing it into an ash tray on the table. "I heard quite the rumor about you this morning."

Kenshin narrowed his eyes. "And that would be?"

"That you fucked some prostitute in a bar with Kamiya watching."

"And who said _that_ happened?"

Saito merely raised a brow. "Did it?"

"Does that seem like something I would do?"

Saito shrugged, "Some men on the council were quick to believe it."

"Do you?"

"No."

"At least someone has a brain."

Saito snorted, reached into his pocket to pull out another cigarette, and lit it, ignoring the angry look on Kenshin's face as he did so.

"You need to stop smoking. It's a bad habit."

"Like your habit of making irrational decisions? When you stop doing stupid things, I'll stop smoking."

"I didn't get to where I am by being stupid," Kenshin growled.

"No, but where you're headed is because you're being stupid."

The two glared at each other, neither wanting to break contact. Saito finally relented, knowing how hard headed the Battousai could be. If anyone could rival Kamiya in terms of stubbornness, it was the redheaded man in front of him.

"I didn't come here to argue with you. I'm here to warn you and inform you of what else has been going on with the board. Daisuke seems to be growing more and more relentless by the day. He even called a meeting this morning without Katsura's approval," Saito continued.

"Without Katsura's approval? He's getting bolder," Kenshin remarked.

"I agree. Katsura is starting to grow worried. He can only support you for so long, and Daisuke seems hell bent on bringing you down."

"Daisuke's clearly plotting something, but I can't prove anything."

"Aoshi's been watching him but hasn't found anything concrete. I think Daisuke must be getting help from somewhere if he's able to keep things so secretive. He couldn't cover his tracks so well on his own."

"And Shishio couldn't be doing the things he does without help. I'm convinced Daisuke's backing him financially. How are you planning on dealing with this?"

"I haven't figured that out yet. Eliminating Shishio is obviously the first step. When are you planning on doing that?"

"Within the next few days. I lost tabs on him after our run in the other night. But after our conversation, I think it's clear he'll come to me. He's too eager for a fight to prove he's the better swordsman; a fight he'll refuse to pass up," Kenshin answered, leaning back slightly to pull his katana from his side.

"Just don't get yourself killed."

Kenshin laughed bitterly, "Like I'd let that bastard kill me."

Saito looked at him doubtfully, "Sometimes I wonder about you."

Kenshin glanced at the tall man briefly before choosing to ignore the comment. "Is Kaoru out of Kyoto yet?"

"No. I took her and Sagara off the case, but you know how stubborn Kamiya is. She's currently refusing to leave until she sees you."

Kenshin frowned. As much as he wanted to see her, he didn't want to risk it. The more time that passed, the more danger she was in. "She needs to leave now."

"I agree, but unless she's kidnapped and dragged back to Tokyo unconscious, she's not going anywhere."

"Now _there's_ an idea…"

"You can't be serious." Saito looked at the contemplating look in Kenshin's amber eyes and rolled his eyes. "I'm _not_ kidnapping your girlfriend for you. Sometimes I swear I'm more involved in your relationship than you are."

"As I've mentioned before, Saito, you're clearly a romantic at heart," Kenshin replied with a smirk.

Saito narrowed his eyes and made a move towards the sword at his side. "You know, Katsura isn't here to stop a fight."

"I'm not in the mood," Kenshin answered, waving him off. "Besides, I don't think it would be wise for you to try to kill me when I'm the only hope you have against Shishio."

Saito relaxed and let go of his sword. "Fine. But I suggest you meet with that estranged girlfriend of yours before she does something brainless. I think you've been rubbing off on her too much."

"Shut up, Saito."

"It's the only way you can get her to leave."

"…it's not the _only_ way…"

"I'm NOT kidnapping her," Saito snapped.

"Okay, okay, it was just a suggestion—one that _you_ made, by the way."

"I wasn't being serious."

"Whatever. I'll think about it. Now get out of here before you give me lung cancer."

"You're not going to get lung cancer," Saito replied.

"If I'm lucky, you'll get it though. Anything to make you die faster."

Saito ignored him and headed towards the door. "You know," he commented. "Kamiya said the same thing to me on the first day of her job."

"I _knew_ I loved that woman for something."

Saito snorted and left the room, as amber eyes flickered from the closed door to the cell phone sitting on the table next to the now dirty ashtray.

* * *

Ice blue eyes watched admiringly as a young woman skipped away from him, her long braid tailing behind her tiny body. Her overly cheerful personality sometimes made him wonder how she found such interest in being a spy, but he supposed growing up surrounded by the most extensive spy network in Japan played a key role in that. She was good at it, nevertheless. Tearing his gaze away from the retreating woman, he focused back on the hotel entrance he had previously been watching with her.

A large, middle-aged man stepped out of the revolving door onto the busy street, carrying a leather briefcase in one hand and wearing an ugly grey suit. The ninja idly wondered how such a disgusting man managed to hook up with his secretary from time to time, and even more puzzling, how the man ever got married in the first place.

_Must be the money_, he thought.

The target spoke briefly with one of the doormen, who hailed a taxi for him, which he stepped into without much grace. The ninja moved from his position in a tree to start following the taxi, unseen by passerby. It was fortunate that streets were so busy in the downtown area, making it easy to follow the stop and go traffic. The man found it infuriating, however, that despite watching his target for weeks, he had yet to uncover any evidence of treachery.

_It's only a matter of time,_ he mused, rounding the corner after the cab.

* * *

Megumi glanced at the clock, tossing her long black hair over her shoulders. She had just finished her shift at the hospital. Originally, she was planning on leaving for Kyoto after she was off work; Misao had told her Kaoru needed her presence. But after checking her voicemail, it seemed there was a change of plans. According to Misao, Kaoru was supposed to be coming back to Tokyo any day now…of course, that was _if_ they managed to convince her.

Megumi was fully aware that a certain redhead was in Kyoto, and tearing Kaoru away from him was going to be hell. But if Misao was convinced it was possible, who was she to argue?

But Megumi couldn't help the knot forming in her stomach as she thought of Kenshin. Judging by both Kaoru and Misao's concern, it seemed he was on a mission that was extremely dangerous. Sure, there were hospitals in Kyoto if he needed it, but Megumi was the only person he trusted ore than any other. She was still only a resident, but her skills and expertise, especially when it came to his health in particular, were unmatched. She knew his body and medical history better than anyone else, and that made her the best person to care for his injuries. She almost felt like going to Kyoto just in case something happened, but she couldn't just abandon her duties like that.

She cared for the redhead dearly; she had even met him before Kaoru, although it was under drastically different circumstances.

**

* * *

-**_**Flashback**_**-**

_ Megumi felt like she wanted to punch someone she was so angry. She was just getting off a night shift, and it had been hell. It was one thing for the head doctor in the emergency room to occasionally compliment her on her looks, but to actually lay one of his greasy hands on her? _

_ And then when she rejected him, he had the _gall_ to tell her she would never make it as an ER doctor because she was too soft and feminine. She used to be one of his favorite residents (now she knew why), and he would always let her have hands-on experience. Now, however, he was ignoring her like a wounded puppy and not allowing her to learn anything. _

_ "How am I supposed to learn anything if that bastard won't give me any experience?" Megumi growled to herself as she fished in her purse for the keys to her car. There were times when she loved the Gucci purse dangling off her shoulder reaching to her hip, but this was not one of them. Like all great purses, there is a drawback—usually the immense number of pockets inside that cause every item within to get lost. 'Why don't keys have an alarm system?' she thought irritably._

_ "Excuse me, miss," came a smooth, masculine voice. The suddenness of it caused Megumi to yelp and jump at the sound, as she turned slightly to her right to see the owner of the voice._

_ "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," he continued gently. The med student stared at the man before her. A mess of long hair the color of blood lay in disarray upon his head and down his back, with long bangs framing a pair of amber eyes. They were such an unusual color, and Megumi felt a shiver run up her spine as she met his gaze. There was even an odd cross-shaped scar on his left cheek that gave Megumi the sense that this man was more dangerous than he appeared. He had a slight frame, although it exhibited a quiet strength, and he was dressed in all black, with a black Rolex on his left wrist. Megumi couldn't help but wonder if Rolex even made a watch of such a color; it looked to be more custom-designed so that it could blend mysteriously with the rest of his apparel. _

_ Megumi couldn't find words to speak as she stared at the body of contradictions before her. A man so beautiful yet dangerous, dressed like a criminal yet with an expensive accessory, and with a soft voice that oddly commanded attention. In summary, Megumi was torn between infatuation and escape._

_ She finally snapping out of her musings, she stood up straighter to regard the mysterious man, determined not to look weak. "May I help you with something?"_

_ "Perhaps," he replied, taking a step closer. "You are a resident?"_

_ "Y-Yes in the emergency room. How did you know that?" Megumi asked in surprise._

_ He nodded towards her light blue scrubs, denoting resident status and causing Megumi to blush slightly as she looked down. "That and you're too young to be a doctor."_

_ "You're very observant," she commented._

_ "It's part of my job," the redhead replied with a slight smile. "I couldn't help but overhear you earlier. Are you looking for medical experience?"_

_ "Well, _now_ I am since my boss refuses to teach me anything. Why do you ask?"_

_ "I have a proposition for you."_

_ "And what might that be?" Megumi asked slowly. _

_ The redhead watched her carefully as he answered, "I would like to offer you experience with regards to treating lacerations, broken bones, poisoning, and maybe the occasional bullet wound. You would be paid amply, of course."_

_ Megumi eyed him suspiciously. His offer so far would be perfect for her, but she didn't see how it was possible or how all of these injuries could find themselves under her care. Who would she be treating anyway? "While that is a tempting proposition, what is the catch?"_

_ "All I require is your treatment without questions. Secrecy is key," he replied._

_ "Haven't you heard of doctor-patient confidentiality?" Megumi asked, raising a brow. _

_ "Yes, but you would be amazed at how often that is breached."_

_ "And why do you think_ I_ won't breach it?"_

_ "Because you have much more to gain and little to lose," the man answered simply._

_ Megumi supposed he was right. The doctors she knew rarely saw a patient more than a few times, and they frequently discussed their patients in public. She personally always looked down on such a thing. "Who would I be treating?"_

_ "Well, me every once in a while, but I have a friend of mine who tends to need medical care several times a week. It would just be the two of us."_

_ "Ok, I have another question then. Why me exactly? I may be a resident, but for all you know, I could be a terrible student," Megumi asked._

_ The young man laughed and paced slightly in front of her. "Takani Megumi. Graduated first in her class at Tokyo University and with honors. President of the Tokyo U Medical Club. Wrote her senior thesis on how the medical industry is becoming less about the patients and more about the politics." At her shocked expression, he grinned, "I did my homework, Takani-san."_

_ "And yet I know nothing about you," Megumi replied, still overwhelmed by how much this man knew about her._

_ "That's the confidentiality part our proposition." Upon seeing her crestfallen face, he continued, "However, I can assure you that neither I, nor my partner, will ever bear you ill will or allow harm to cross your path. You need not fear us in any way."_

_ Megumi watched him thoughtfully, churning the ideas in her mind. "Fine, then I accept your offer, but you must tell me your name at least because I would prefer not to call you Carrot Top." _

_ Said redhead shook his head at that with a grin. "I would prefer that not happen either. It's Kenshin. Himura Kenshin," he laughed, holding out a hand._

_ Megumi smiled, "Alright then, Ken-san." She shook his hand firmly. "When will I be needed first?"_

_ "Well, I actually brought my friend with me this morning because he needs some treatment to his hand. There's some glass embedded in it, and I think it's getting infected."_

_ Megumi looked around the parking lot curiously. "I don't see anyone else," she said thoughtfully._

_ "He's in my car."_

_ "Why?"_

_ Kenshin leaned in slightly. "I wanted this to go _smoothly_."_

_ Megumi flashed her trademark coy smile, the first one she showed in her entire conversation with Kenshin. She wasn't being her usual flirtatious self, but she knew it was only a matter of time. "I think you were _very_ smooth, Ken-san." _

_ Kenshin merely smiled in return before pulling a car key out of his pocket and hitting the panic button. Megumi watched him in surprise as a nearby car began to beep obnoxiously._

_ The passenger door flew open as a tall man stumbled out. "Jesus, Kenshin! We didn't sleep all night, so I wanted a _little_ shut-eye!"_

_ Kenshin watched in amusement as he turned off the panic mode, causing Sano more confusion in his first waking moments._

_ "And this sleeping beauty is Sagara Sanosuke," Kenshin told Megumi, who was recovering from watching the boisterous ruffian, so different from the calm redhead, suddenly burst out of an expensive sports car._

_ Sano rubbed his eyes with his left hand before fixing his glare on Kenshin. The glare was short-lived, however, as he caught Megumi's eye. Gesturing in Megumi's direction, he quirked his head at his friend and asked, "Oi, Kenshin, who's the fox?"_

_ Megumi stared at the man. "WHAT_ _DID YOU JUST CALL ME?" she shrieked. _

_**-End Flashback-**_

* * *

Kaoru was still staring at her phone in shock when Misao entered the hotel room. "Where's Sano?" the young woman asked curiously, as she noticed that Kaoru was the only occupant.

Kaoru nearly jumped in surprise at her friend's voice and the phone fell on the floor. "Oh, Misao! I didn't hear you come in."

Misao frowned. "What distracted you? You're all alone and the tv isn't even on."

"Oh, um, I was just thinking."

Misao clearly didn't believe her as she moved to pick up the object of Kaoru's previous scrutiny. Before Kaoru could protest, Misao flipped open the phone and glanced at the history. "_Himura_ called you?"

"Um, yes."

"About time!" Misao shouted triumphantly, tossing the phone up and down in one hand. Kaoru watched in horror as the device sailed up in the air repeatedly, only barely managing to fall back in Misao's tiny palm, as Misao continued to chatter about how dumb the redhead had been.

"Will you _stop_ throwing my phone?" Kaoru shrieked.

"Whoops, sorry!" Misao answered, tossing the phone back to Kaoru and sitting on Sano's bed. "So, where'd Sano go?"

"When Kenshin called, he left to give me some privacy. And he was hungry," Kaoru shrugged.

"What did Himura have to say? Did he start expressing his undying love for you?"

Kaoru laughed, "Well, yes, but he seemed more concerned about forcing me to go back to Tokyo. I think the word 'kidnapping' even came up, but he didn't repeat it after I asked him."

Misao rolled her eyes. "Only Himura would suggest kidnapping his own girlfriend."

"He's a unique individual." Misao's eyes widened dramatically at Kaoru's response, causing Kaoru to ask suspiciously, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"That's the first time in forever that you haven't protested to being called Himura's girlfriend!"

Kaoru blinked in surprise before blushing. "Oh, well, I thought about it, and I guess we kind of _are_…you know, still a couple and everything."

"Jesus, it's about time you admitted it."

"Anyway," Kaoru continued, trying to change the subject. "I'm still refusing to leave until he meets me. If he's going to fight Shishio, then I want to see him before he almost gets himself killed again."

"Did he agree?"

"Kind of."

"What do you mean 'kind of'?"

"He said he'd only meet me if I agreed to leave on the first train tomorrow morning," Kaoru sighed.

Misao glanced at her watch. "Okay…so he has to see you sometime between now and then. He didn't tell you where or when?"

Kaoru shook her head. "No, but I have a feeling he might just pop in here at some point. He does seem to have a fetish for entering hotel rooms through windows…according to Sano."

"Well, I suppose I should leave now then just in case he makes an appearance. You two probably have quite a lot of _catching up to do_," Misao said, giving Kaoru a suggestive wink.

Kaoru felt her cheeks redden again at Misao's comment and grabbed a pillow to chuck at her friend. It seemed she had been doing a lot of pillow throwing lately.

Misao noticed her movement and waved her hands in front of her in defeat. "I take it back! Just don't throw that at me. You're lethal when it comes to pillows."

Kaoru laughed and relinquished her hold on the cushiony object.

"So I guess everything's all fixed then, huh?" Misao asked cheerfully.

Kaoru's smile disappeared as she shook her head. "No, not really. Kenshin and I might be back to together, but he still has a dangerous job to do. He's always in danger, but I have a bad feeling about this one. It worries me."

Misao's eyes softened at the sorrowful look on Kaoru's face. She leaned forward and touched her arm gently, peering into the glassy sapphire eyes before her. "Kaoru," she said seriously. "Himura's good. He'll be okay, don't worry."

Kaoru bit her lip as she felt a sob trying to make its way to her throat. She refused to cry; she had to be strong. "I know," she answered softly. "But I can't help it."

"You're worried about what Sano's been telling you about the government?"

Kaoru looked at Misao in surprise. "What? How do you know about all that?"

"Hey! You're looking at a new member of the Oniwabanshu now!" Misao answered, jerking a thumb towards her chest and standing abruptly. "I know a lot more than you think! I mean, I just kinda found out yesterday but still."

Kaoru couldn't help but smile at Misao's antics. Then her eyes narrowed suspiciously, "Speaking of which…where _have_ you been sneaking off to lately?"

"Uh, I…I've had some work to do," Misao stammered. "That's confidential anyway."

"Right."

"It is!"

"Whatever. I can see by that glint in your eye there's a man involved."

"I'm not listening to you."

Kaoru merely watched her with a sly grin on her face.

"Oh, look at the time!" Misao cried. "Gotta run!"

"Hey, Misao! Where are you going?" Kaoru asked, standing up and whirling around as her short friend started skipping towards the door.

"Have fun, you lovebirds!"

Kaoru's brows furrowed in confusion by Misao's statement. "Love_birds_?" Misao only laughed before shutting the hotel door behind her, leaving Kaoru staring after her.

"That one never runs out of energy."

Kaoru's eyes widened in shock as she heard the familiar silky voice behind her.

"K-Kenshin," she breathed, turning slowly, as if worried that a quick movement would suddenly make him disappear.

She nearly melted when she felt more than heard a deep chuckle rumble through the room. He was silhouetted in the light flooding in through the window, making his red hair practically glow. Amber eyes bored into her, their breathtaking effect having been temporarily forgotten by the young woman over the past few weeks. But seeing him now, bathed in the light from the setting sun, reminded Kaoru in full force why this man was completely irresistible.

"Do you always break into hotel rooms through windows?" she asked.

Kenshin shrugged. "It's easier."

Kaoru raised a brow. "Explain to me how scaling the outside of a building is simpler than taking an elevator and walking down a hallway?"

"Easier for _me_. Besides, I like to make a grand entrance."

"Clearly."

He took a few steps closer to her, feet silently crossing the carpet followed only by the ever-so faint sound of the two swords moving by his side. He continued forward until he was near enough to envelop her in his strong arms. Kaoru smiled and took a deep breath as she inhaled the characteristic scent that was Himura Kenshin.

"I've been wanting to hold you in my arms for weeks now," he whispered, making Kaoru shiver as she felt his warm breath on her bare neck.

"You never had to be in wanting in the first place," she answered, un-tucking her arms from being crushed to her chest in favor of wrapping them around Kenshin's waist, fingers playing with the silky red strands cascading down his back.

"I know. I just wanted you to be safe."

"You're an idiot, you know that?"

"So I've been told."

Kaoru pulled herself away from his firm grasp to peer into his face. "Kenshin," she said softly. "You'll be careful, right?"

"Of course."

Kaoru shook her head at the casual tone behind his answer. "No, I mean, you'll do everything you can to make sure you don't get hurt?"

Kenshin affectionately held her chin and gazed into her teary eyes. "Kaoru, do you think I would _try_ to get injured?"

"Kenshin, damn it! You know what I mean!"

"You don't need to be worried about me. I'm more concerned with making sure you get safely back to Tokyo," he answered softly.

Kaoru allowed a sad smile to grace her features as she replied, "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were just trying to get away from me."

"I'm just—,"

"Watching out for me," Kaoru finished for him. "I know. And I promised to take the first train back to Tokyo. But you have to promise me that you'll come back to Tokyo alive. I can't lose you. Not again." She choked on the last words as unbidden tears began streaming down her face.

Kenshin's amber eyes widened in surprise as he watched the display of emotions on the woman he loved. Gently brushing a slender hand across her cheek, he wiped the salty tears away before leaning in to kiss her face tenderly, willing the tears away with his lips. He hated to see her cry, especially when he knew he was the cause of those tears. Why did he feel like he caused her more pain than anything else?

"Don't cry. Please don't cry," he pleaded softly between kisses.

But Kaoru's willpower had finally shattered, and she couldn't stop the sobs from escaping her mouth. Kenshin felt his heart break as he observed her, feeling helpless.

"I'll come back to you. I promise I will," he whispered.

Kaoru shook her head wildly. "_Alive_, Kenshin. I want you to come back to me _alive_."

"But, of course," he answered, as if shocked she even felt the need to clarify.

Kaoru, however, felt enraged by his confusion. "Don't you _dare_ act like that. You don't care if you live or die, I _know _you don't. I didn't realize it before, but I know now. Why can't you see that I need you? I can't live without you, and I can't bear to watch you go into a fight knowing that you might not survive with such ease."

Kenshin felt his entire body freeze at her words and opened his mouth to protest, but she continued.

"You think that you don't matter, that no one cares whether you live or die. You think that the world can go on without you, like you're not worth something. But you mean _everything_ to me. Not just me, but Sano, Megumi, Misao, hell probably even _Saito_, would all be broken should we lose you. You're not inhuman, and you need to stop being so careless."

Kaoru felt like she was going into hysterics. She finally had the man she loved in her grasp, but she knew that all too soon she would be forced to let him go. And for all she knew, this could be the last time she would ever hold his living, breathing body in her arms.

Kenshin had no idea what to say. He never realized how much pain he caused her, or anyone for that matter. He didn't know how much his impending fight with Shishio was affecting Kaoru. And while he wanted to brush off her rant as ridiculous, he knew she was right. He _didn't_ care if he lived or died; he already felt like an empty shell. But what could he say to deny what she accused him of? Feeling desperate, he did the only thing he could.

Kaoru gasped as she felt his fingers thread themselves in her hair and pull her face towards his before crashing his lips to hers. She could sense the near desperation in his actions, which didn't ease her fears but rather confirmed them. But she knew she couldn't suddenly convince him to strengthen his will to live in just one night; she just had to pray that he would have enough strength to find his way back to her when it was all over.

Through the haziness of her mind, she could feel herself being pushed back until the backs of her knees hit her bed and she fell backwards with a yelp, pulling the redhead with her. Between his onslaught of kiss, which had moved away from her mouth to begin an epic trail across her jaw line and down her neck, nipping her skin occasionally, Kaoru managed to breath, "Sano will come back."

The redhead merely groaned in response as he continued a trail of kisses down her chest, experienced fingers beginning to unbutton her blouse.

"Kenshin!" she said firmly, pushing his head up. "I'd never hear the end of it if Sano walked in here."

Kenshin lazily watched her in amusement. "Don't worry, love. I already spoke to him; he won't be back for _hours_."

Kaoru blushed at the look he gave her and sighed in relief, only to let out another tiny yelp as she realized Kenshin had skillfully finished his task of unbuttoning her shirt and had already unclasped her bra.

She smiled wickedly as she suddenly grabbed his shoulders and flipped him over so that she was lying above him. A look of triumph crossed her face as she took in the slightly startled expression that adorned the redhead. _It's been way to long_, she thought.

Kaoru leaned down and tugged on the ends of his shirt before pulling it over his head. She gazed at the bare chest before her, running soft fingers over the heated skin in wonderment and tracing the old scars tenderly. She needed to rememorize every inch of his body, especially if this was going to be their last night together.

* * *

**Yet another Author's Note: I just remembered that people may, perhaps, have read my other story Amnesia? Well I've had the end of it chilling in a word document for quite some time now, and I need to post it. I already have the sequel started...it's really not a sequel but Part Two since the original story isn't exactly loooong. But they have such drastically different plots and tones that they needed to be separated like that. If you want me to post the last portion, let me know! I don't know why I'm holding onto it like this...nervous I guess to have that "complete" written next to a story...so official.**

**Please review!**


	11. Restless Interludes

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.**

**A/N: This chapter took me forever to write, but I finished it in the summer and forgot about it...woops...back from my hiatus...**

* * *

**Chapter 11: Restless Interludes**

Kaoru gazed out the window, watching the images whirring by, blurred by the speed of the train. It was raining, which seemed fitting for her current mood. The sky was a dull gray, and the clouds appeared to be weeping, as large rain droplets pounded the foggy windows. Kaoru lifted a slender finger to trace the path of the rain falling sporadically in a diagonal line down the glass. It was cold to the touch as a result of the chilly morning.

The pattern of the water on the window mesmerized her, as her mind instinctively began forming images from the natural lines. It was a habit she had ever since she was child, sitting in the car with her little brother as her parents drove them around. It was a good substitute to finding pictures in the clouds when the sky was overrun with gray, making such a game impossible. Of course, the only problem was that the images on a window were always very brief because fresh rain washed them away almost as soon as they appeared.

Kaoru sighed as she tore her gaze from the window and turned her attention to the inside of the train. Sano was sitting stiffly with his eyes closed, clearly trying to pretend he was somewhere other than a train. Kaoru was sure she was never understand his irrational fear of the locomotive, but then again, there was much about the gangster/detective that didn't make any sense. Misao was sitting with her feet tucked underneath her small frame as her fingers mindlessly played with what looked suspiciously like a small knife. Or maybe it was a dart, but Kaoru couldn't tell. She didn't want to even think about how her friend managed to get it passed security.

Misao's gaze was focused subtly on a family in the booth across the aisle. It was a young mother with twin daughters, who appeared to be about seven or eight years old. The mother was reading a magazine while her daughters were playing with plastic ponies. The peaceful scene offered a strange sense of serenity and normalcy, washing away all fear and worry that the coming days were doubtless to bring. Kaoru understood immediately why Misao was so fixed on admiring the scene; the young girl was just as anxious as she was. Although, Kaoru had a feeling part of her anxiety was stemming from being separated from whatever male presence she had been keeping company with in Kyoto. Once things were settled down, Kaoru was going to be sure to get information from the weasel. She had a sneaking suspicion it might have something to do with the Aoshi fellow that Misao was obsessed with. Kaoru had never met the man, but Misao's descriptions were extremely partial.

Kaoru reached her fingers up towards her neck to clasp the metal now hanging from her neck. It was a silver chain with an ornate locket that had a beautiful engraving on the outside with a stunning sapphire stone embedded in the middle and tiny diamonds that surrounded the gem. Kenshin always told her that her eyes reminded him of sapphires, which was likely the reason he chose this particular locket to dote on her the night before. Inside he had put a picture of the two of them. It was always her favorite photograph, and she made sure to tell him so on numerous occasions. They had it taken by an elderly couple while at a festival in Tokyo a few months past. Kenshin had his arms around her neck as he stood behind her, both of them grinning unabashedly. It was one of the happiest moments of her life, and it was beautiful to have captured the pure delight on the redhead's face. It seemed to be a less and less frequent occurrence of late.

She had only had the locket in her possession for a few hours now, and she already felt like she would be lost without it. Kenshin had given it to her that morning once he was sure she had finished packing, had coffee in hand, and Sano was waiting outside the door. Kaoru still had no idea where Sano had spent the night, but he hadn't returned until that morning after the two were already up, bringing coffee and breakfast along with him. She was grateful for being able to spend the night with the one she loved, but she couldn't suppress the feeling that Kenshin had another reason for staying all night. He never did anything without reason, and it was painfully obvious he wanted to make absolutely sure that Kaoru was going to board that train this morning. No one could tell her she didn't have a conniving boyfriend. _Kenshin and his stupid hidden agenda_, Kaoru mused dejectedly.

Kenshin had told her he would be back in Tokyo to see her in just a few days, but his embrace felt like it was their last moment on earth. He didn't want to let her go, made even more clear by the whispered, almost desperate, confessions of love in her ear. Of course, the worst part was probably the fact that even after all of her ranting last night, Kenshin had never told her he had a great will to survive this fight. Sure, he told her he would see her again and that everything would be all right, but they were empty words without meaning. His silence on the subject of her concern only confirmed her suspicions that Kenshin held very little value to his own life, and Kaoru wished dearly that she knew the reason for his own self-belittlement. Unfortunately, Kaoru could only hope that what she said made some sort of positive impact. But hope could only get you so far.

"It's going to be okay," Misao said, suddenly interrupting her thoughts.

Kaoru looked at her friend who had adopted an uncharacteristically serious expression. It was an expression that didn't suit the normally spastic ball of energy that was Makimachi Misao.

"I know," Kaoru lied.

They were all lying to themselves, pretending in vain that the thing with Shishio was going to be over any day now. But the underlying problem and source of all their inward concern wasn't really Shishio at all. There was something darker and more conspiratorial going on—the extent of which no one knew. Even if Kenshin did deal with Shishio and came out unscathed, things weren't over. It seemed like they were only beginning.

"When's the fight?" Kaoru asked Sano, whose eyes were shifting nervously from window to window. He was muttering under his breath, and Kaoru swore she heard the words, "freaky," "unnatural," and "impossible," among them. She would never understand why Sano had no problem with planes but couldn't grasp the concept of a train.

"Sano," she repeated when she realized he hadn't heard her.

Brown eyes stopped flickering around as they settled on her own. "Huh?"

"She asked when the fight was, idiot," Misao answered for her, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, right. I don't actually know," he shrugged, letting out a breath with apparent relief to have a distraction from the speeding train.

Kaoru sighed. Kenshin had refused to divulge any information regarding Shishio, apparently deciding he didn't want anything to 'spoil the mood.' Choosing to forego an argument, Kaoru had let it slide. But curiosity and worry was getting the best of her now as she sat brooding on the seemingly endless train ride. Kenshin had always told her that she was too curios for her own good, which was part of the reason why she had relentlessly pursued him back when she was still trying to catch the Battousai.

"Don't worry, Jou-chan. Kenshin'll let me know as soon as he gets word from Shishio," Sano continued, noting her grim expression.

"Wait," she started, brows furrowing. "You mean, Kenshin doesn't know either?"

"No, Shishio has to tell him when first."

"I think it's weird that Shishio would schedule a fight like that," Misao commented. "It's like signing your own death sentence."

Sano shrugged. "I don't think Shishio sees it that way."

"Well, Himura's gonna win for sure."

"Yeah, I agree, but like I said, Shishio doesn't think so."

"Irrational mother fucker," Misao spat. Kaoru's eyes widened in a amusement at Misao's sudden foul language.

"I think you've been hanging around Sano too much," she remarked amusedly.

Misao rolled her eyes. "I'm not a little child, Kaoru. I've always known these words."

"Whatever you say."

"But anyway," Misao continued, ignoring Kaoru's smirk. "Back to Bandages."

"Bandages?"

"That's my nickname for him."

This time it was Kaoru's turn to roll her eyes.

"Why does he want to schedule a fight anyway? Shouldn't he be trying to _avoid_ Himura?" Misao asked, looking at Sano seriously.

Sano shook his head. "Shishio knows Kenshin's been assigned to assassinate him, so I think he wants to settle things on his own turf. Plus, Kenshin is the only thing that stands between him and his takeover of Japan. Well…and Shishio's just plain crazy and wants to prove he's the best by killing his predecessor."

Kaoru frowned at that. She didn't like the idea of Kenshin meeting a madman whose goal in life was to kill him. It was unnerving to say the least.

"But Himura's definitely going to win anyway," Misao repeated firmly. "No one can beat the guy!"

"Maybe," Kaoru murmured.

"Aw, come on, Kaoru. Have more faith," Misao answered softly.

"As thrilling as it is to talk about a man who's trying to kill my boyfriend, can we change the subject?" she asked, sarcasm dripping from every word.

"Yeah, sure," Sano said, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. A sudden thought hit him, and Kaoru could have sworn she literally saw a light bulb appear above his head. "When's that little brother of yours coming? Didn't you say his school break is soon?"

Kaoru smacked her head at the questions. "Shit!" she groaned. "I completely forgot! For all I know, he could be ransacking my apartment as we speak."

"He has a key?" Kaoru asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Unfortunately."

"I'm exciting to meet him," Sano grinned. "I can show him how to act like a real man."

"Note to self," Kaoru muttered. "Keep Yahiko as far away from Sano as possible."

"What? He needs a positive male influence in his life," Sano argued. "How long has it been since his last visit anyway?"

"About a year, I think," Kaoru answered after a moment, trying to recall the last time she had seen her bratty, little brother.

"So he's never met Kenshin?" he asked curiously.

Kaoru shook her head. "No, and I never told him. I guess I'm worried how he'll react to someone else in our lives. I'm the only family he has, after all."

"I bet he'll love Himura, though," Misao interjected. "He's a badass."

"Are you trying to make me feel better or does Aoshi have some competition?"

Misao blushed and shook her head vigorously, waving her hands in front of her innocently. "I'm just stating the facts; I don't like him like that. Geez!"

"I know, I'm just teasing."

"Way to practically give a girl a heart attack," Misao breathed, pretending to clutch her chest. "I don't want you to think I'm crushing on your boyfriend or something. He's like a brother to me."

"Misao," Kaoru said seriously, looking straight into her friend's exasperated eyes. "I know. I just like getting a rise out of you."

"Oh."

"Soooo," Sano said loudly, hoping to weed his way back into the conversation. "What are you going to tell him?"

"Who?" Kaoru asked.

"Yahiko."

"Oh, right. Well, I haven't really thought about it yet."

"Well with that thing around your neck," Sano started, pointing at the locket, "it's going to be pretty obvious you have a boyfriend."

"I could have bought it myself," she argued.

"Any idiot can tell that cost more than all four years of your college tuition combined."

"Duly noted."

"I agree with the weasel, though," Sano continued. "I think your brother will really like Kenshin. Everyone does."

"Yeah…maybe I'll mention him so it isn't so unexpected when he shows up at my door in a few days."

Sano smiled, inwardly glad that Kaoru was being, at least outwardly, positive about the upcoming battle.

"I kind of hope that Yahiko's break isn't for a few more weeks, though. It would really suck for me to walk into my apartment to find it smelling like pizza and dirty socks," Kaoru finished with wrinkle on her nose as she turned back to the window.

* * *

It was late afternoon when he received the message. He could sense one of the room service attendants approaching his door before giving a soft rap on the wood. A quick observation of the stranger's ki told Kenshin all he needed to know: an innocent young man simply going about his normal duties while impatiently waiting for his shift to end. In short: no threat.

The redhead opened the door and offered a quick murmur of thanks to the man after being handed a small envelope. By outward appearance, it bore a sense of innocence—quite a contradiction to the foreboding message that Kenshin knew lay within its pristine white folds. He wasted no time opening the letter to pull out the card.

It was a deep red, the same color as blood, and the words were written in black script. The bottom edge of the card was burned, which confirmed the identity of the sender, even though Kenshin was fully aware that no one other than Shishio would be contacting him in such a manner. The only words on the card were:

_Himura Battousai._

_403 Black Sakura St._

_10 p.m. Tomorrow_

Releasing a snort, Kenshin quickly drew his katana and shredded the information. Shishio had written the note as though he was going to be the target, but it would be Battousai who would be killing off his mark. There was no room for failure in his line of work.

Meeting a psychotic killer at an abandoned warehouse, which Kenshin knew to be the location of the address on the card, would normally unnerve someone. But Kenshin knew how Shishio's mind worked; there would be no tricks, no men hiding out in corners to snipe him, and no hidden guns. It was going to be a death match between two expert swordsman with only the stronger man as the victor. Battousai's successor was not one for scheming in the midst of battle. Plotting a takeover of Japan? Sure. But he wouldn't stoop so low as to attempt to assassinate the one man he hoped to defeat in a fight. He wouldn't debase his own skills in favor of an easy win. He wanted to prove he was the better fighter in a fair fight.

Unfortunately, Shishio was not working alone, and if he truly was allied with Daisuke then there could be other agents lingering in the area without Shishio's permission. And that was where Kenshin felt apprehensive. He could sense ki without difficulty, but if caught up in a heated battle with someone like Shishio, then even his keen senses could miss things. Daisuke was not a man to choose pride over life; he was a rat who, as far as Kenshin was concerned, deserved to drown in the sewer where he lived.

When Kenshin told Kaoru he would beat Shishio, he had been completely honest. But Shishio was going to be the least of his problems if his suspicions were correct. Shishio would not tolerate outside agents from interfering in his long-awaited fight, but if Shishio was losing then the madman couldn't stop them from interfering. If Kenshin clearly had the upper hand, then there would no longer be a threat from Shishio if they acted anyway.

They could kill two birds with one stone. He would kill Shishio; they would kill him. After all, neither Daisuke nor Shishio were team players. They would eliminate the other once their respective use was over.

The redhead shook his head in frustration. The situation was getting more complicated by the minute, and his tumultuous thoughts were not helping. He didn't even have proof that his theory was plausible, and he wouldn't know what kind of trouble he was in until it happened. Gritting his teeth, he forced his mind elsewhere, but the only focus his thoughts could settle on was the raven-haired beauty he had been torn apart from that morning.

He never wanted to let go of her, but his rational side reminded him that she needed to get out Kyoto as soon as possible. He didn't want to take any chances, especially if the situation was growing so conspiratorial. There were very few people he could trust.

Kenshin wanted more than anything to be back in her arms, feeling her softly run her fingers through his hair. She always had this odd fascination with his red strands, possibly stemming from the fact that his hair was softer than her own. She would frequently pout and complain about how unfair it was that a man had better hair than the majority of the female population. Her comment never did bring him much pleasure because, even if women loved his hair, their compliments about how beautiful it was did not bode well for his masculinity. But who was he to complain about something that seemed to woo the ladies?

He chuckled lightly to himself at where his thoughts had suddenly turned, but the sound of his own voice through the previously silent room snapped him back to reality like a bucket of cold water. Falling back on the bed, he gazed at the ceiling and began counting the tiles, keeping his senses stretched to both the window and door to his small hotel room—just in case—as unlikely as it would be to be attacked the night before a scheduled fight.

The counting of the tiles quickly turned into boredom before being morphed into even more brooding. He stood suddenly and drew his katana from his belt and the wakizashi from the corner of the room, finally seating himself again to begin the respectful ritual of sharpening and cleaning the blades. Nothing soothed his mind more than the monotony of the rhythmic actions, and he needed an outlet to escape from his darkening thoughts.

* * *

"You've GOT to be kidding me," Kaoru shouted as she opened her apartment door and took a step inside. Both Misao and Sano were with her—Misao because her apartment was just down the hall and Sano because he wanted free food.

Misao peeked her head around Kaoru to see the source of her friend's apparent distress. Her nose wrinkled immediately as the smell of old pizza wafted its way through the room. "Well, I'm thinking the brat's home."

"Who are you calling a brat, shrimp!" came the sudden shout from the kitchen.

Kaoru stepped aside as she felt Misao push through the doorway angrily. "What did you call me?"

A tuft of black hair was all Kaoru saw before Misao had launched herself forward and knocked down her victim. "Take it back!" she shouted.

"Like hell!"

"Take it back or I'll tell Tsubame how much you like her!"

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Is that a challenge?"

Kaoru glanced over at Sano and gestured towards to wrestling match taking place on her carpet. "Sano, meet Yahiko.

Both Misao and Yahiko looked up at her words before Yahiko's struggling became violent enough for Misao to get off him. "Who are you?" the boy asked the tall man leaning against the doorframe.

"Sagara Sanosuke, but you can call me Sano."

"Aren't you that lazy detective?" he asked, recalling some of Kaoru's ranting about her partner in previous phone conversations.

"You told him I'm lazy?" Sano asked, feigning hurt.

"You _are_ lazy."

"Everyone's entitled to their own opinion. Any pizza left, kid?" Sano asked as he ruffled the boy's hair, only to have the latter start batting his hands away angrily.

"I'm not a kid!" Kaoru rolled her eyes at her little brother's predictable response.

"Okay, okay," Sano said quickly. "But really now. Is there?"

"No, but there's beer in the fridge."

Sano's face immediately lit up as he practically bolted towards the kitchen. "Wait," he asked suddenly. "How'd you know I'd care about that?"

"Because busu doesn't drink, so she'd only keep beer if it was for someone else," Yahiko shrugged. "So unless she has a boyfriend I don't know about, then it's probably for you."

Everyone froze at that comment, and Sano shifted uneasily. "Uh, right," he muttered before heading into the kitchen after throwing a glance at Kaoru.

"Funny you say that," Kaoru started.

"Wait a moment," Yahiko continued, eyes narrowing as the light caught the glint of the locket around Kaoru's neck. "_Do_ you have a boyfriend?"

"Ummm…"

"It's not him, is it?" Yahiko asked suspiciously, jerking a thumb towards the kitchen.

Misao burst out laughing at the ludicrous question. "No one would ever be sane enough to date the rooster."

"Just checking."

At that moment, a breathless figure came bursting through the front door. "Is Ken-san back?"

Kaoru whirled around to see Megumi standing in her scrubs, her hair askew and her purse dangling haphazardly in the crook of her arm, giving Kaoru the impression that Megumi had run there from the hospital.

"It hasn't happened yet," Misao answered for her.

"Oh." Disappointment was evident on Megumi's face.

"Is that the kitsune, I hear?"

Megumi straightened up abruptly and tossed her hair over her shoulder with a huff. "I see you're already mooching off of people," she said, throwing Sano an accusatory look as he stepped out of the kitchen with a beer in hand.

"It's not like Jou-chan drinks beer anyway," he retorted, unfazed by the tone of Megumi's voice.

"Ken-san does."

"Well, he's not here."

"Unfortunately."

"Uh, who's Ken-san?" Yahiko asked curiously, confused by the strange conversation going on in front of him. It seemed to be a guy that everyone knew but him, and the lack of knowledge was grating on his nerves.

"It's actually Kenshin," Sano replied. "Ken-san is just Megumi's pet name for him."

"It's my boyfriend," Kaoru clarified.

Yahiko stared at his sister. Judging by how familiar everyone else was with this mysterious Kenshin, it implied that he would have to have been around for quite some time. "How long?"

"About a year now."

"And you never told me?" he asked incredulously.

"Well, it never really came up in conversation," she started. "And it's complicated."

"Don't worry, Yahiko. You'll really like him," Misao assured him. Murmurs of agreement echoed through the room.

"When will I meet him?"

Silence.

The sudden ceasing of all voices was more unnerving than the revelation that his sister was actually dating again. The expression on everyone's faces was odd, and it took Yahiko a moment to place them: it was fear.

"Hopefully in a few days," Kaoru finally said.

"Hopefully?" he asked.

"It depends on a number of things."

"Like?"

"Like when he comes back to Tokyo," she said slowly.

"Where is he now?"

"Kyoto."

"Is that where you were?"

Kaoru stared at her brother in surprise. He really was smart when he felt like it, and she was constantly forgetting how much he was growing up. She tended to have the picture of a four year old needing his diapers changed stuck in her head. The boy in front of her, however, wasn't really a boy at all. He was becoming a young man.

"Yes," Sano answered for her. He glanced down at his cell phone as it beeped at him. Kaoru watched as he flipped it open, read the message, and pocketed the device again. "You'll meet him in two days."

Kaoru cocked her head to the side. "How did you know?"

"Tomorrow night, ten o'clock," he answered cryptically.

A knowing look crossed her face. The fight.

"What the hell is going on?" Yahiko shouted, throwing his hands up in the air. He was already getting tired of feeling so left out.

"Maybe we should tell him," Misao started slowly.

Kaoru looked at Sano in a silent question, but he gave an affirmative nod. She motioned for Yahiko to sit down as they all took their own places. She sat cross-legged on the floor next to the coffee table and gently unclasped the locket hanging around her neck, laying it on the table. She touched the sapphire fondly before opening the locket and sliding it across the table, pointing towards the picture inside. "That's Kenshin."

Yahiko leaned forward curiously before his eyes widened unexpectedly. "This guy?"

"Yeah, why?" Kaoru questioned, surprised by the odd tone of his voice.

"I've met him before."

"WHAT?" came four voices in unison.

Yahiko found himself the object off scrutiny as four pairs of eyes immediately settled on him. He shifted nervously in his seat. "Yeah, I met him four or five months ago."

"How?" Kaoru asked, clearly frustrated.

"Well, it's kind of a long story…"

"Spill."

Yahiko looked at Kaoru in exasperation, but the stern expression on her face told him she wasn't going to budge. "Okay, well, I started having some trouble with these guys at school. They were bullying this kid, Yutaro, and I told them to stop so they kind of turned on me. I tried to handle it myself, you know, but after a while, I had to go to one of my professors for help. He said he'd take care of it, but—." Yahiko's voice broke off as he clenched his fists.

"But what?" Sano pressed.

"But it became obvious he wasn't going to do anything. It didn't take me too long before I realized the guys were like his goons or something. The professor was dirty and involved with the local yakuzas."

"Oh my god," Kaoru breathed.

"It's all over now, so don't start worrying," Yahiko said quickly, waving off her concern. "But one night, they all caught me while I was walking back to my room from the library. I had an exam the next day, so I stayed up late studying. I think it was almost one in the morning, and I heard voices in an alley. It sounded like they were beating someone up, so I went to help.

"Then I found Yutaro unconscious on the ground, and one of the guys was kicking him hard. I ran in blindly, without thinking about how I was going to get us both out of the situation. I tried fighting them off, and I was doing okay until one of them pulled out a knife. I thought I was a goner, for sure, but then this guy appeared out of nowhere knocked them all out with what I think was a sword. But he must have used the back of the blade because none of the guys were dead. Though, I got the impression he was only so merciful because they're just kids.

"But anyway," Yahiko continued, speaking quickly. "He had these eerie golden eyes, and I wasn't sure if I was really in better hands or worse. But when he bent down to check Yutaro's pulse, I had a feeling he really was saving us. He asked me if I was okay and then carried Yutaro and helped me get to the hospital."

Kaoru couldn't help but grow suspicious. If there was one thing she learned since she started dating Kenshin, it was that there was no such thing as a coincidence. _And the redhead meeting her little brother in an alley just by chance?_ Yeah right. She wanted to punch him for taking the word "conniving" to a whole new level.

"I tried to tell him about my professor because I thought maybe he could help. I don't know why; it was just a hunch. All he told me was that he already knew, and that I was a good kid. He didn't tell me his name or anything, and I wouldn't have known who he was at all, except that an ambulance arrived at the ER that moment. The headlight's hit his hair, and it was obviously red. I was going to thank him, but when I turned around he was already gone."

Yahiko pointed at the locket sitting on the table and added, "I know it's him because he's the only person I've ever met who has red hair and golden eyes."

"It's very unique coloring," Megumi commented, and Kaoru rolled her eyes at the suggestive tone behind her voice.

Yahiko didn't notice as he continued, "If that was Kenshin, then I think it's cool you're dating a guy who can fight like that. I mean, I didn't even see him because he moved so fast, but…"

"But?" Kaoru prompted, worrying about his sudden hesitation.

Yahiko seemed to be having an inner debate on whether to say anything, but he finally relented. "I wasn't sure if I should tell you this, but I guess if you two really have been together for a year it shouldn't be a surprise."

Her eyes narrowed slightly at his words, but she remained silent.

"It didn't happen until a few weeks later after a new semester had started, but it was all over the newspapers. My professor was found dead…beheaded actually. And his office was littered with information tying him to the yakuza. People were saying the Battousai did it because of how it was done. And even though I had taken the guy's class for a semester, I couldn't bring myself to feel any sympathy."

"Why are you telling me this?" Kaoru asked slowly.

"Because," Yahiko breathed. "Even though I don't have any proof, I think Kenshin is the Battousai. I mean…when he told me that night he already knew about my professor's corruption and then the guy winds up dead. I just put two and two together."

"And you never went to the police?" Sano asked, blinking in surprise.

"Well, no!" Yahiko snapped, as if such an action would have been preposterous. "Even if I did meet the famed assassin, he couldn't be a really bad guy. I mean, he saved both my life and Yutaro's, and the professor was a bastard." Turning his attention to his silent sister, whose head was bowed and expression unreadable, he said softly, "Look, I'm sorry, Kaoru. Even though I know Battousai is one of your cases, can you please not arrest him? I really don't think he's a bad guy. I mean, you should know, after all, if he really is your boyfriend."

Yahiko felt terribly guilty as he watched Kaoru's shoulders start to shake. He leaned forward slightly in an effort to see her face and console her, but she suddenly threw her head back as loud laughter filled the room. Whatever reaction Yahiko had been expecting, it was not this. "Uh, Kaoru?"

Tears were streaming down her face as she doubled over, unable to stop the ripples of laughter escaping her. Sano, Megumi, and Misao were all starting to laugh, as well, and Yahiko suddenly felt like the victim of a cruel joke. He glared at all four of them and crossed his arms in front of his chest in anger, not sure why they were all laughing when he just told them Kaoru's boyfriend was a murderer.

"I'm sorry," Kaoru finally burst out in between bouts of laughter. "It's just—you just made everything much easier."

"Wait, so you knew?"

"Yeah, he saved my life once, too, you know," she answered warmly.

"Well, that's ironic. You a detective, him a criminal."

Kaoru didn't feel like going into the whole Kenshin-is-actually-a-government-assassin tirade at the moment and merely reached for the locket before fastening it around her neck again.

"So, anyway," she said. "He has a job in Kyoto right now, so you can meet him…again…in a few days."

"That thing tomorrow? That Sano mentioned?" Yahiko asked.

"Yes."

Yahiko looked at everyone before settling on his sister's expression again. "Something's wrong," he stated. He could tell that despite her smiling face, there was worry in her eyes.

"It's a serious fight," Misao noted grimly.

"But he'll be okay?"

Kaoru didn't fail to notice the hopefulness in Yahiko's voice. She never expected it would be so easy to get Yahiko to approve of her boyfriend, but it seemed Kenshin always had a lasting impact on everyone he met.

"Yes," she said firmly. She heard a quiet rumbling and glanced down at her growling stomach. "Who's up for the Akabeko?"

"As long as Sanosuke doesn't expect me to pay for him," Megumi said hotly.

Kaoru grinned as the inevitable bickering started between the two. Even though a fight was looming on the horizon and worry was gnawing at her heart, it was a relief to have the presence of her friends to distract her. After all, there was nothing she could do now but wait for Kenshin to return. And until then, she was going to make sure she was ready.

* * *

A lone figure stalked through the dark alleys, hiding in the shadows of the night, hidden even from the moon. There were few souls brave enough to trespass on the dead of the night, but he was the reason for the fear.

He stepped out into the dying light of a broken streetlamp, which only briefly betrayed his red hair before going out completely. Kenshin paused before the abandoned warehouse standing innocently before him. He could sense only one being inside the damaged walls: Makoto Shishio. If Daisuke's agents were going to intervene in the fight, then they hadn't yet arrived. Unfortuantely, that didn't mean they weren't going to show.

Pushing aside the thought, he briskly stepped inside the building and took note of the gleaming red eyes in the dimness before him.

"Welcome, Battousai."

**

* * *

A/N: I apologize for the excessive boringness that just took place, but this was kind of an interlude before the fight. I couldn't just jump into a battle, you see. I'm also working on making Kaoru less of a "damsel-in-distress," as one reviewer worded it. I don't want to depict her that way, so I'm working on bringing back her fire slowly, I promise! But in her defense, she has been repeatedly emotionally raped for the past few weeks by an idiotic redhead. *Sigh* **

**Anyway, there will be much more excitement in the following chapter, and I also want to inform you that this story is by no means almost over. I'd say that it is probably halfway? I think if you've been paying attention to previous chapters that you can tell Shishio is not the group's only problem, and this fight isn't going to solve things. So, review and let me know what you think!**

_**(I finished this months ago and forgot to post it after getting caught up in school and things. I'm graduating in just a few months, so I've been soooo busy. Hope you enjoy and sorry for the long wait!)**_


	12. Ummmmhi?

**(Years Later)  
**

**Um...I have no excuse, but obviously I haven't updated in, well, a very very very long time. I graduated from college, worked for a year, and am now in graduate school, and on a whim, I checked my undergraduate email address. BAM! Fanfiction popped up, and suddenly, I felt inspired again. So I'm going to be back on the bandwagon, writing more, and I hope you guys continue to enjoy this story (if anyone is reading it). Let me know if you'd like updates and/or if you have any ideas! I haven't gotten very far into the next chapter, though the story has been generally mapped out in my head for years. My other stories should be updated, too...If anyone was reading "Amnesia," I have several chapters of that sequel saved on my hard drive that I'm missing a cord to...so once I buy a new cord, I will set that little guy up. The title, if I remember correctly, is "Gathering the Pieces," but I'll have to check on that. If you haven't read "Amnesia," please do! And review :)  
**

**Anyone out there?**

**Disclaimer: **I STILL don't own Rurouni Kenshin. Shocking, I know.


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